Responsible game: what is it and how will it help to fight ludomania?

Ludomania and responsible play

Ludomania, or gambling addiction– is a pathological addiction to gambling. It manifests itself in the form of systematic participation in gambling entertainment. Such mania can cause disturbances in family, social, educational, professional and other spheres of life.

Gambling addiction has been officially recognized as a psychological disorder. Back in the last century, it was included in the list of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) included gambling addiction in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).

Today, governments of different countries, public organizations and gambling operators themselves are working to reduce the prevalence of ludomania. To achieve this goal, they support a responsible approach to gambling, which is designed to help in the fight against gambling addiction.

The principle of responsible gaming implies the implementation by gambling operators of a program of actions aimed at helping ludomaniacs, as well as protecting players from possible negative consequences that may be caused by participation in such games. For example, casinos take the following measures:

• inform players about the potential risks they may face when participating in gambling;
• they provide assistance to people suffering from gambling addiction. For example, they restrict their customers' access to such entertainment;
• they protect minors from gambling.

Currently, organizations in different parts of the world are engaged in the popularization of responsible gaming. For example, Senet Group, National Council on Problem Gambling and others. Such associations conduct educational events, distribute information materials and take other measures aimed at forming the right approach to gambling.

In addition, organizations that support ludomaniacs and their families operate in different countries. They also provide recommendations on how to combat gambling addiction. Among them are such as GamCare, Gambling Therapy, Gambling Help Online, Center for Ludomani and others.

How not to face gambling addiction: the rules of responsible gaming

Responsible play involves players following the following rules:

• only adults can participate in gambling. In some countries, the minimum age of players is 18 years, in others - 20 years or 21 years;
• gambling should be treated as entertainment, not as a way to generate income;
• the player must be prepared for the fact that he can lose money. Such an outcome of events should be perceived as part of the game;
• gambling should not be perceived as a way of dealing with moral or physical pain;
• gambling entertainment should not occupy a significant part of a person's life. To prevent this from happening, it is important to alternate visiting the casino with other entertainment;
• the player must independently set the maximum amount that he can spend without negative consequences for himself and/or his family;
• the gambler must personally determine how much time he can spend in the casino. Subsequently, he must comply with the established time frame;
• it is not recommended to take part in gambling for people who are in a state of alcoholic, narcotic or toxic intoxication, or those who are depressed;

The operators publish recommendations on compliance with the rules of responsible gaming in a separate section on their website or place them in ground establishments in a place accessible to visitors.

How do operators provide conditions for responsible gaming?

To prevent the spread of ludomania among casino customers, gambling organizers adhere to the following principles:

1. protect minors from gambling entertainment. Before starting to participate in the games, the clients of land-based and virtual gambling sites undergo the identification procedure (identity recognition). They provide the casino with their official documents, which indicate the first and last name, date of birth, place of residence, etc. Thanks to the identification of customers, gambling operators identify underage citizens who are prohibited from visiting such establishments;
2. provide players with the opportunity to officially refuse to participate in gambling (self-exclusion program). Ludoman can contact the organizer of gambling entertainment with a request to restrict his access to the gambling establishment. After that, the representatives of the institution will take appropriate measures, for example, block the account on the online platform or add the gambler to the list of persons who are prohibited from visiting a land-based gambling club. A partial restriction is also possible when the operator sets a limit on bids at the request of the client;
3. they do not hide the players' game statistics. Casinos provide their customers with the opportunity to track how much time they spend on gambling entertainment and what amounts they spend;
4. set betting limits. For a player, playing responsibly means having to control their expenses. Therefore, operators allow their clients to set the maximum amount they can spend during a single visit or for a certain period of time;
5. they publish publicly available information about organizations that provide assistance in the fight against gambling addiction. Similar associations operate in many countries, including Great Britain, Ireland, France, Spain, Australia, Canada and others.

Experts say that ludomaniacs can be distinguished by their behavior. Therefore, in order to combat the spread of addiction, operators train their staff to identify among visitors those players who have the appropriate characteristics. Then such gamblers are offered to join the self-exclusion program. Regulation of responsible gaming at the state level.

Regulation of responsible gaming at the state level

In many countries where gambling is legalized, local authorities are taking various measures to combat ludomania and ensure responsible gaming in land-based and online casinos.

Regulatory authorities set a minimum age for visiting gambling establishments. For example, in Georgia, customers of casinos and slot machine salons can become persons who have reached the age of 21, and you can register on the websites of virtual gambling sites from the age of 18.

In Canada, starting from 2019, gambling establishments can only be visited from the age of 21. In most US states, persons over the age of 21 are allowed to participate in gambling. In the UK, Estonia, Spain, Hungary and some other countries, the age limit for visitors is limited to 18 years. Operators who violate the established norms may be held liable.

At the legislative level, the procedure for passing the identification of players is determined. For example, in Canada, the identity of online casino customers is confirmed by video communication.

The regulations also prescribe the rules for the procedure of self-exclusion of players. In particular, the law defines the duration of this restriction. Relevant programs are currently being implemented in the UK, Belarus, Italy, Sweden, Australia and other countries.

At the legislative level, it is determined what obligations operators should bear, adhering to a responsible approach to gambling. For example, the Portuguese law stipulates that gambling organizers are obliged to provide their clients with information about gambling problems, as well as inform them about organizations that support people suffering from such addiction.