Online slots are a hobby for millions of people who enjoy playing slot games on a monthly, weekly or daily basis and it’s completely understandable why these free slots online games are so popular. Video slot games, in particular, have soared in popularity in the last decade and have risen in tandem with the rise in technology.
We all have hobbies, whether that be football, shopping, golf or hiking. Each of these hobbies cost money, some more than others, and some are healthier than others with varying risks to our mental and physical health. Gambling can be an extremely fun and rewarding hobby, but there’s no denying that it is one of the more high-risk hobbies and although the aim is to win money, don’t be too surprised to find out your slot hobby could cost you money in the long run, just as any hobby would.
In 2021, it has already been reported that more people play slot games on their smartphones and tablets than ever before, with the majority of people choosing to play online slots on their remote devices than on desktop computers. It’s extremely convenient, easy, and fun to play online slots whenever and wherever you like thanks to thousands of online slot apps for smartphones and tablets so it’s no wonder some people are concerned that it might be very easy for this hobby to become a compulsion since the games are literally at your fingertips, day or night, wherever you are.
But what is the real danger, and is there a time where you should ever be concerned that your online slot hobby could turn into problem gambling? What are the steps you can take right here, right now, to prevent your much-loved and fun hobby from spiraling out of control? We sit down with some long-term players who love slot games and have very easily managed to ensure that their slot hobby hasn’t turned into problem gambling and who are more than happy to share their tips for responsible gambling.
The slot players were also keen to debunk some of the myths around problem gambling and gambling addiction that they felt was important to share with other players.
It’s only a game
The key thing to remember about slot games is an obvious one, but it’s important to ensure you have the right outlook while playing: it’s just a game! Slot playing should be a hobby and should be treated like one, as any other hobby – something you do in your spare time, with your disposable income. If you keep this mindset, this is a healthy way to play slot games.
Playing slot games isn’t going to become your day job and isn’t going to become an income source for you, it would be fantastic if you won of course and that’s one of the key aims of the game, but the main aim of the game about all else is to have fun.
Treat gambling as a hobby and that’s exactly what it will remain!
Don’t feel guilty for spending money on your hobby, just so long as it is affordable and it is your disposable income, not money for your necessities or anything else. Think of it as you would any other hobby: It’s absolutely fine to spend whatever amount you see fit on a pair of new golf clubs, just so long as you’re not spending your rent money or can’t afford your other commitments because you’ve splashed out on the new clubs!
Understand the signs of problem gambling
So that problem gambling doesn’t creep up on you, it’s important to know the signs of problem gambling before it turns your slot hobby sour. There can be a fine line between enjoying slot games and getting too carried away! Some of the obvious signs are things like chasing your losses and spending more than your set bankroll, finding yourself unable to meet your financial commitments because you’ve overspent on your slot playing, finding it difficult to stop playing, and even missing work or family commitments because of playing slot for too long.
If you are showing any of these signs or feel like this could soon be a reality for you, it’s time to take a step back and reassess the way you play and work to change your outlook on playing slots. After all, playing slots can be extremely fun and entertaining so it would be a massive shame to no longer feel you can have it as a hobby.
Follow the advice of online casinos to gamble responsibly
Online casinos are there to help you and have a duty of care to ensure they provide you with the tools to ensure you gamble responsibly, follow this advice and use the gambling tools if you feel they are necessary. You can also set yourself deposit limits so that you can only deposit a certain amount per day, week, or month which can help you to manage your spending.
Set yourself some Screen-time rules
The last thing you want is to get to the point where you’re missing out on time with friends and family and alienate yourself because you spend too much time on your hobby. To ensure you don’t get to this stage and that you enjoy your hobby in moderation, set yourself some limits on how much time you allow yourself each day, week, or even month. Some smartphones will have an analysis tool that will show you how much screen time you have spent per week and on which apps so that you will know just how long you have spent on slot gaming apps.
This will allow you to stick to your time goals and help you to reduce your screen time if you’re starting to spend too much time on online casino apps.
There we have it, a few top tips from long-term slot players that should help you gamble responsibly and ensure that online slot remain a fun and entertaining hobby, happy spinning!
