How to Quit Gambling

Play responsibly
Or at least cut down a bit…

Playing online is supposed to be fun, but when it’s not, it’s really not. Every so often in the Casinomeister forum, players post their frustrations of getting in over their heads. We are all human and we respond to stimuli that can affect our judgment. Like any activity that addresses some of our base needs and emotions, gambling can be addictive and can lead to a very bad ending. But if you keep your emotions and behaviour in check, you should be able to handle any losses (or wins) in stride. If not then it might be better to just altogether quit.

It’s recommended to stick to a budget, as explained above in the ‘How to manage your online gambling budget’. Once you reach your budget then that’s it. And every time you have a win, send most of it straight back to your bank account.

 

How to stop or cut down on playing at online casinos

Playing online is supposed to be fun, but when it’s not – it’s really not. Every so often in our forum, players post their frustrations of getting in over their heads – chasing after their losses down the proverbial rabbit hole. We are all human; we respond to stimuli that can affect our judgement. Like any activity that addresses some of our base needs and emotions, gambling can be addictive and can lead to a very bad ending. But if you keep your emotions and behavior in check, you should be able to handle any losses (or wins) in stride. Or just altogether quit.

I’d like to share with you some of the techniques and thoughts from some of the Casinomeister members that have been posted in our forum.

I recommend that everyone stick to a budget – especially important (like for me) – only leave what you need in your Neteller account for the month, and also ask them to disable your Instacash facility, which is cool if you can stay in control but if not can be a downward spiral (trust me I know).

Once you reach your budget, that’s it. And every time you have a win, send most of it straight back to your bank account.

Budget control can be a real PITA sometimes. This is one of the reasons I disabled Instacash last year (though it’s been re-enabled for other reasons). Once you don’t have Instacash, and no nearby casinos, there aren’t many other ways to fund your gambling unless you want to wait 3-4 days for an ACH deposit to clear Neteller (by which time hopefully the urge is gone anyhow). Your credit cards won’t work (in many countries) so that’s not an option.

For more information on how to manage your bankroll or budget, please read the following: How to Manage your Gambling Budget

Gamblock is something you should install on your computer right away if you want to quit. Another way could be to enable your firewall and ad-block or pop-up block programs like McAfee or Norton which will block most of the ads and which will also prevent you from getting to the actual sites.”

There is also BetBlocker. It’s free, and you can install it on all of your devices, laptops, desktops, hand held devices, And you are blocked from at least 13570 gambling websites. It is versatile – you can decide how long you want to be blocked for.

If you are in the UK – Gamstop is what you need if you want to quit 100% – all UKGC licensed casinos are required to prohibit game play from persons using this software.

“There are a lot of people who sympathize with you, but you can also take heart in the fact that many of these people have also beaten their demons. Better control of one’s emotions doesn’t happen overnight. Though it’s certain that there are ways to get around your emotions.

You should find something that you like doing and do it as often as you can, especially sporting activities. This will help you to forget about online gambling.”

Here is a list of things that you might like to do besides online gambling:

  • Spend proper quality time with friends / family;
  • Walk the dog / play with your pet / get a pet;
  • Read a book;
  • Listen to your favorite music;
  • Play a board game (with friends / family);
  • Draw / paint / write;
  • Follow a TV-series;
  • Go to the cinema;
  • Practice whatever type of sports (perhaps with friends);
  • Drive your car / motorbike / bicycle;
  • Sign up to an (online) course or workshop;
  • Cook your favorite meal;
  • Eat your favorite meal;
  • Go shopping;
  • Start a (veggie) garden;
  • Play videogames.

“It may help to get a photo of the person/persons you love most in life and to write on the back of these photographs how you feel when you have lost all your money and how your gambling would affect them and your relationship with them. Put these photographs close to your computer, or in your wallet when out. Then when you feel the urge to gamble, you should have a good look at them and read what you have written. Make sure that you understand your own motivations and keep these impulses in check. Everyone needs reminders that there is a real world out there.”

“If it’s games that keep you playing – check out the “for free” games that IGT and Leading Edge Designs make available. There are a number of really cool VP and Slot games here: Leading Edge Designs, and here:VideoPoker.com

“Turn off your computer and take a long walk (and leave your smartphone at home!). Get into the real world. If you have a family at home, go play monopoly or some other game where money is involved. You can actually take care of that “money” fix this way.”

“If you are looking for a pastime that gives a similar rush to online gambling, then take up one of the FPS games in multiplayer mode on your computer. I had several years doing this in a “clan” playing Quake/Q2 and Unreal Tournament and I can honestly say that it was fantastic fun and had a sense of community and competitiveness that really got me involved. I’m a bit out of touch with the latest FPS games, but I would seriously consider looking into this as an alternative form of entertainment. The thing about gambling is the “rush” of a good win. You get this with FPS in team and deathmatch games online.”

“I have kept a record of my position at every single casino, so I can see how I am REALLY doing. This puts big wins, and great runs into perspective, also, the totals column makes for bigger numbers, and when they are red (negative), it makes more of an impression. I have found that I am better off playing at many casinos, sharing the money round, rather than piling in at a few, and chasing into what seems to be a locked in negative run.”

“My only advice would be: If you can’t deposit, then you can’t lose money. Contact every banking establishment in the circle of online casinos, Neteller, Firepay, Citadel, etc., and have them cut you off from depositing. This is a surefire way to end your online gambling career.”

These are but a few comments from our members. There are loads more in our Quit Gambling section of the forum. Some of our members have joined the Quit Gambling user group – they only have access to the non-gambling section of the forum. It a bit of a relief for them – they are not bothered with the gambling sections, don’t receive adverts, and still maintain their part in our community.

Quit Gambling in our Forum.

We also have another section with an international directory of organizations to help you quit gambling. This can be found here: Responsible Gambling Directory.

Good luck for whatever you choose to do.


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