If your loved one has a gambling problem, you likely have many conflicting emotions. You may have spent a lot of time and energy trying to keep your loved one from gambling or having to cover for them. At the same time, you might be furious at your loved one for gambling again and tired of trying to keep up the charade. Your loved one may have borrowed or even stolen money with no way to pay it back. They may have sold family possessions or run up huge debts on joint credit cards.
While compulsive and problem gamblers need the support of their family and friends to help them in their struggle to stop gambling, the decision to quit has to be theirs. As much as you may want to, and as hard as it is seeing the effects, you cannot make someone stop gambling. However, you can encourage them to seek help, support them in their efforts, protect yourself, and take any talk of suicide seriously.
When faced with the consequences of their actions, problem gamblers can suffer a crushing drop in self-esteem. This is one reason why there is a high rate of suicide among compulsive gamblers.
If you suspect your loved one is feeling suicidal, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the U.S. at 1-800-273-8255 or visit Befrienders Worldwide to find a suicide helpline in your country.
Start by helping yourself. You have a right to protect yourself emotionally and financially. Don't blame yourself for the gambler's problems or let his or her addiction dominate your life. Ignoring your own needs can be a recipe for burnout.
Don't go it alone. It can feel so overwhelming coping with a loved one's gambling addiction that it may seem easier to rationalize their requests “this one last time.” Or you might feel ashamed, feeling like you are the only one who has problems like this. Reaching out for support will make you realize that many families have struggled with this problem.
Set boundaries in managing money. To ensure the gambler stays accountable and to prevent relapse, consider taking over the family finances. However, this does not mean you are responsible for micromanaging the problem gambler's impulses to gamble. Your first responsibilities are to ensure that your own finances and credit are not at risk.
Consider how you will handle requests for money. Problem gamblers often become very good at asking for money, either directly or indirectly. They may use pleading, manipulation, or even threats to get it. It takes practice to ensure you are not enabling your loved one's gambling addiction.
Talk to your partner about their problem gambling and its consequences when you’re calm and not stressed or angry.
Look for support. Self-help groups for families of problem gamblers, such as Gam-Anon, for example, can introduce you to people who’ve faced the same obstacles.
Explain to your partner that you’re seeking help because of how their gambling affects you and the family.
Talk to your children about your partner’s problem gambling.
Take over management of your family finances, carefully monitoring bank and credit card statements.
Encourage and support your loved one during treatment of their gambling problem, even though it may be a long process peppered with setbacks.
Lose your temper, preach, lecture, or issue threats and ultimatums that you’re unable to follow through on.
Overlook your partner’s positive qualities.
Prevent your partner from participating in family life and activities.
Expect your partner’s recovery from problem gambling to be smooth or easy. Even when their gambling stops, other underlying problems may surface.
Bail your partner out of debt or enable their gambling in any way.
1XBET MoviesCover-up or deny your partner’s problem to yourself or others.
Those who have yet to get fully involved with playing online casino may be hesitant for a number of reasons. There is an element of myth and conjecture surrounding the industry, particularly when it comes to questions over fairness and the likelihood of actually returning a profit.
Are casinos rigged? That’s a common question among new players and those who sit outside of the industry so we would like to take the opportunity to address a number of concerns.
If you read a number of slot reviews, many will make reference to RTP. These initials stand for Return to Player and the percentage figures shown indicate how much, on average, a slot player can expect to receive in return for their stake.
For example, if a slot is showing an RTP of 95%, that means that for every £1.00 staked, 95p will be paid out. That is a fair sum and at , our slots carry an average RTP of 97% which is comfortably in excess of the UK Gambling Commission’s recommended minimum of 70%.
On slot machines with random payouts, that average is taken from a minimum of 100,000 spins so that’s a lot of games required for those percentages to be determined. However, it is important to remember that this is only an average and it’s certainly not a guarantee as to how much you can expect following a stint at the reels.
Potentially, you may hit the average which means you take back a small loss. Alternatively, you could hit 100% RTP and break even or, you may be one of the lucky players who will add a profit to their bankroll. It’s all about random payouts and that’s another important measure of fairness at the online slots.
Potentially, you may hit the average which means you take back a small loss. Alternatively, you could hit 100% RTP and break even or, you may be one of the lucky players who will add a profit to their bankroll. It’s all about random payouts and that’s another important measure of fairness at the online slots.
Online slot machines pay out in a similar fashion to the very early mechanical games that pre-date the internet. These were mechanical devices that employed a random number generator to trigger cash prizes at intermittent points in play. There were no predetermined stages as to when a win would land - it was entirely at random.
In the modern day, with new technology at the hands of developers, it’s easier than ever before to install that random feature to every slot that makes its way online. Machines are officially tested for this element but, because casinos have to be open and transparent, it’s relatively easy for players to do this in hindsight.
Take a look at Progressive Jackpot payouts for a slot such as Mega Moolah or the intriguingly named Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania 2. Figures are laid out and it’s easy to see when the jackpots trigger. Follow this pattern over an extended period of time and you can see that the process is completely random. Jackpots may become ‘swollen’ but there is no specific point at which they are due and the same factor applies for all slot wins from the smallest to the biggest.
Another popular misconception surrounds the fairness of slot machines in the physical world as opposed to online games. Are slot games at bricks and mortar casinos more likely to pay out? Can you second guess them and form a strategy based on previous patterns of play?
If you happen to sit in a bar or a casino and watch a player take on a slot then it’s fair to say that you may just have an advantage here. Those who have time on their hands can watch a player at a specific slot game and, if they plough in a stack of money with little in return, maybe it’s time to act and take over. Remember, that there is an average RTP in play in the physical realm too so, while there are no guarantees of a win in this scenario, the average percentage payout may mean that the odds are tipped slightly in your favour.
Of course, in the online world this pattern is much harder to spot. You could look at the frequency of payouts but in the time it takes to do that research, another account holder may have stepped in to claim the jackpot.
In summary, it may be possible to spot playing trends in the physical world and therefore, shrewd players of those slot machines may just have a slender advantage. However, it certainly doesn’t mean that bricks and mortar casinos are fairer than their online counterparts.
Another common myth involving online casinos relates to safety. It’s perfectly natural for players to ask whether their funds and personal details will be secure, especially if they are getting on board with a new operator.
Established brands can offer more peace of mind but in all instances, certain points can be checked on the brand’s website. Firstly, look for full details of the company license and, if you’re playing from the UK, be sure that the casino in question is approved by the Gambling Commission.
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