Responsible Gaming is a set of practices and guidelines that serve to guide both the exploitation of gambling by entrepreneurs and to prevent users from losing control over their gambling practices.

Behaviors that cause consequences for your life, such as loss of assets, debt, breakdown of family ties, loss of interest in other leisure activities, loss of employment, among several psychological consequences such as anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, among others, are considered to be out of control in gambling.

It is important that the user, when deciding to look for a form of entertainment in sports betting or casino games, understands what Responsible Gaming is about and its importance, from their first contact with gambling activities .

The ideal is to present the tools available on the platform from the first contact, at the time of registration, in a prior and preventive manner and not only after a pattern of irresponsible and harmful gambling is detected. After all, good betting practices apply to all users, not just those who already exhibit compulsive and impulsive behavior.

Responsible Gaming as Prevention

When talking about Responsible Gaming, most of what is said is as a practice of helping people reduce their harm from gambling by recognizing patterns of behavior that already make it clear that the healthy limits of interaction with them are not being respected .

But the adoption of this practice becomes more effective and efficient if introduced before problems arise, that is, during the user’s first contact with gambling.

Responsible Gaming as a preventive activity brings a perspective of protection to all users , recognizing that anyone is at risk of developing problems related to gambling.

Additionally, it provides control tools for users who may notice their behavior patterns changing over time.

With awareness of this change, the gambler can now look for alternatives, regulate their gambling activity or even seek professional help before the problem becomes bigger and more complex to solve.

This reinforces the view that, although not everyone will suffer from the possible consequences of gambling, everyone involved may be prone to it and needs this activity to be done responsibly, aware of all the risks that may arise and without illusions such as “easy money” and “extra income”.

Problem gambling vs. pathological gambling

When talking about the harm that gambling can cause, attention is mainly focused on Gambling Disorder, dependence and addiction to betting and gambling.

It is estimated that around 3% of the Brazilian population meets the criteria for Gambling Disorder. The subject of gambling addiction, including diagnostic criteria and compulsion, has already been discussed here at Aposta Legal Brasil.

However, it is important to bring to light more precise figures about the possible damage that can be caused by the activity. In the health area, the gambler can be seen in three ways:

• recreational gambler;
• problem gambler;
• gambler diagnosed with gambling disorder.

In Gaming Disorder, there are diagnostic criteria that must persist for at least 12 months.

Diagnostic criteria

A person must present at least four (or more) criteria in a 12-month period to be diagnosed:

1. Need to bet increasingly larger amounts of money to achieve the desired excitement
2. Restlessness or irritability when trying to cut down or stop gambling
3. Have made repeated efforts to control, reduce or stop gambling
4. Frequent preoccupation and thoughts about gambling
5. Often plays when feeling distressed
6. After losing money gambling, he often goes back to get even (recover his losses)
7. Lie to hide the extent of the game in your life
8. Damaged or lost a significant relationship, job, or educational or professional opportunity because of gaming
9. Relying on other people for money to solve desperate financial situations caused by gambling

SOURCE: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, 2013 (DSM-5/2013).

The diagnosis can be achieved through a multidisciplinary investigation, with the presence of a psychologist, neuropsychologist and psychiatrist, and through the application of tests with scientific validity, such as the PGSI (Problem Gambling Severity Index), NODS (NORC Diagnostic Screen for Gambling Disorders) or SGHS (Short Gambling Harm Screen), which are tests with scientific validity and applied exclusively by psychiatrists and psychologists, to contribute to the investigation and diagnosis of Gambling Disorder.

Despite the existence of the diagnosis of Gambling Disorder , there are people who suffer from the consequences of gambling, without necessarily having the presence of clear addictive behaviors, similar to chemical dependency.

Problematic Gambling can be seen as a behavior that can cause problems for the user, even if it does not meet the requirements for the diagnosis of Gambling Disorder, and may not have the presence of symptoms of impulsivity and compulsion, but the risks and consequences involved in Gambling Disorder are also present, such as:

• An unbridled expenditure
• Expectation of financial return or “extra income” from gambling
• Try to regulate your emotions and numb yourself from a bad moment by using the game as a tool

These behaviors have major financial, psychological and social consequences, including job loss and the breakdown of emotional and family ties.

Although the consequences of Gambling Disorder and Problem Gambling are similar, with financial losses, loss of relationships and, mainly, loss of quality of life, it is important to differentiate the diagnostic Disorder, with the presence of addictive behaviors , such as abstinence, and Problem Gambling, for efficient action by the health professional.

It is important for users to understand that everyone is at risk of suffering the harm of irresponsible gambling, even if they are not predisposed to addiction or have compulsive gambling behavior. There are several standard behaviors that indicate a problematic relationship with gambling, and it is always important to remain alert and aware of your practice.

A mistaken view of games, even without the presence of compulsive and addictive behavior, can cause harm and consequences for the player’s life.

How to use Responsible Gaming to your advantage

Some of the best-known game control tools are used in several bookmakers, such as self-exclusion of the account, limiting deposit amounts, and limiting the amount of time.

Aposta Legal Brasil has previously brought a survey on the main tools that bookmakers offer in relation to Responsible Gaming.

These tools must be available to the user, who should also look for them when they first come into contact with the chosen platform, to see the credibility of this platform with its users and with this initiative to help protect against gaming addiction.

On many platforms, although visible, the area designated for Responsible Gaming is not highlighted. On the contrary, what we see are advertisements inducing the user to deposit and start betting as soon as possible, without first informing them about the real risks, the consequences that may arise and truthful and quality information about the real chances of being profitable in the available games.

One has to question the operators’ position of giving a huge emphasis to welcome bonuses, but not giving the same emphasis to the tools available for controlling the user’s gaming activity.

Unfortunately, the rules are still not clear in the Brazilian market , and it is up to the houses themselves to define which Responsible Gaming policies they will apply and how they will present them to the consumer.

Responsible Gaming, however, is not limited to the use of available tools. We can see it as a gaming philosophy that must be followed in order to avoid problems, including:

• Understand and recognize that gambling involves risks and, regardless of the way you play, it is necessary to understand that there is the presence of luck and/or bad luck in all activities.
• Gaming should be seen as just another activity in your life, and not given greater importance than other entertainment activities.
• The amounts used in the game should not be different from the amounts used in any other entertainment activity, such as going out, going to the cinema or any other leisure activity.
• The ultimate goal of practicing should be to have fun, not to be a source of extra income or to forget about important problems as a way to numb yourself.

Responsible Gaming: a core practice for a healthy relationship with gambling

Responsible Gaming is a practice that should guide the involvement of all users and betting house operators.

It should be a philosophy to be followed universally, valuing player protection and recognizing the possibility of harm to players’ lives.

Prioritizing houses with a Responsible Gaming policy is a way to prevent damage that can be caused by involvement in any activity related to sports betting and casino games.

Furthermore, looking for bookmakers that prioritize Responsible Gaming is a way of encouraging this practice to be respected by operators , so one of the ways for users to make bookmakers strictly apply Responsible Gaming is by not encouraging the emergence of bookmakers without a strict and functional policy, demonstrating that the practice is a stance required by consumers.