In an interview for the Fold'em podcast I talked about how to stay in control of your gambling while visiting casinos. When we dismiss the possibility of losing control we can allow it to happen again and again. Or we can change our behaviour to avert it.
In our discussion, we went over the key points to maintaining control and changing our behaviour while in a casino.
Five ways to keep gambling under control:
Set limits for yourself of how much you can afford and how much time you want to spend.
Don’t’ take credit or debit cards with you. Only use the amount of cash you set as your limit.
Set a deadline for when you need to leave by. Plan something to do afterwards that you won’t cancel.
Tell yourself the truth about how much money you spend on gambling. Lottery, keno, sports betting, and the casino all add up.
Keep an accurate account of how much you spend.
If after the casino reopens if you are not able to keep to your limits, here’s what you can do if you are looking for a little help with your gambling:
Use the Play Planner feature available to BC players using their Encore cards. It helps you set a time and money limit for the day. It will not keep you to it but it will serve as a reminder of your goal.
Consult a GameSense advisor in your local casino or community gaming centre. They have lots of useful information and resources.
If you need more help or want to take the next steps:
Talk to a gambling outreach support person in your area. They have resources that can help you navigate through the troubles that may be part of a gambling problem.
Voluntary Self Exclusion is a good option for many people. 6 months, 1 year, 2 years or 3 years.
Access free counselling in BC by contacting the local gambling outreach support person.
In the heat of the moment, almost anyone can lose control.
What matters is what we do afterward.
By changing our behaviour we can change the hold that gambling has over us...
If you think this is the time to take action, click on the button below.
See the YouTube video of the interview about responsible gambling strategies:
Listen to the Fold'em podcast episode discussing responsible gambling strategies. #18 June 25, 2021 - available at this link OR you can listen from the episode blog.
Or check out the episode blog
Setting limits was always difficult for me while playing poker and other games but william bentick always helped me set the limits.