Gambling is paid entertainment with a negative expected value. The house holds an edge in every game in the catalogue, and over a long run that edge always tells: an RTP of 96% means that out of every notional ₴100 wagered, about ₴4 stays with the casino. So the only healthy way to play is to spend a sum you would not mind losing in full, the way you would on a cinema ticket.
Rules that save money
- A budget set in advance. Decide before you enter the casino how much you are ready to lose this month, and do not revise that figure in the middle of a session.
- Your own money only. A credit card, a loan from an app, money put aside for rent or medicine cannot be a gambling budget.
- A time limit. Set a timer. Tiredness strips away self-control faster than any loss.
- Never chase losses. Trying to win back what is gone by raising the stakes is a player’s most expensive mistake.
- Do not play under stress. Alcohol, a row, a sleepless night, losing a job — poor company for any bet.
- Play is not income. If a win is part of your monthly budget, you are already playing by the wrong rules.
Signs that play has got out of hand
It is worth worrying if you recognise yourself in even two of these:
- the stakes keep rising because the earlier sums are “no longer interesting”;
- you play longer than you planned, and almost every time;
- you borrow or sell things to top up the account;
- you hide the sums, and the playing itself, from those close to you;
- thoughts of the next session get in the way of work or sleep;
- after a loss you feel shame, irritation or emptiness, and go back to win it back;
- the promise of “never again” does not survive a week.
Tools for self-limitation
A licensed operator is obliged to give the player means of control. The account area usually offers a deposit limit per day, week or month, a bet limit, reminders about time spent playing, a time-out of several days and self-exclusion for a longer term. These settings take effect at once and come off with a delay — precisely so that the decision cannot be undone in the heat of the moment.
If self-exclusion on the casino’s side feels insufficient, Ukraine runs a state register of people whose access to gambling venues and online casinos is restricted: the application goes through the regulator, and operators are obliged to refuse such a person access. A more drastic step is blocking gambling sites and payments at the level of the device and the bank.
Where to look for help
Gambling addiction is treatable, and asking for help is nothing to be ashamed of. Start with a conversation with someone close and with your family doctor, who can refer you to an addiction specialist. Mutual-help groups also work online.
- BeGambleAware — self-assessment tests and material for the player and the family.
- Gamblers Anonymous — an international fellowship of mutual-help groups, online meetings included.
If someone close to you is gambling
Do not pay off another person’s debts and do not take control of the playing on their behalf — that only postpones the reckoning. Talk about the consequences rather than the sums, offer to see a specialist together, and look after your own finances: a separate account, separate savings, no access to your cards.
Casino play is permitted from the age of 21. If it has stopped being entertainment, stop and ask for help.