Canada – is a country with a stable economy and plenty of opportunities for people from all over the world. Over the last twenty years, almost every industry has blossomed there, including online gaming. But, with every level of success come different challenges.
In the particular case of the online casino industry, the biggest concern is related to protecting the players through the implementation of responsible gambling programs.
The danger of developing an addiction theoretically follows everyone who enjoys playing casino games, which is why certain measures are applied to prevent that.
Canada is doing a great job on this matter, and below are some of the universal principles that can help you maintain your mental and financial health without having to restrain yourself from having fun.
What Is Responsible Gaming?
The term “responsible gaming” has been widely used across the globe for over a decade now, but first, we must clearly understand its full meaning.
In its essence, responsible gaming is the idea that players should be able to enjoy gambling in a way that’s both fun and safe for their overall well-being. This means being aware of the line between healthy entertainment and addiction.
Crossing the line between fun and unhealthy behaviour is what urged the creation of responsible gambling guidelines. Moderation is the key to not overly indulging in online casino activities, but it takes some deliberate practice to develop and maintain it.
However, the biggest challenge the industry’s working on is prevention – noticing the early signs and fixing them before there’s any need to implement serious medical and other professional solutions.
How Canada Tackles the Issue?
The coolest thing about Canada’s online casino market is they were aware of the situation enough to create a set of legal provisions concerning this matter. As soon as the era of internet gambling began in Canada, the legal response followed, so they never had to deal with an epidemic of players succumbing to addiction.
It is illegal to own a casino website in Canada without having a “responsible gambling” section with clear and concise advice related to this issue. Another way they’re helping their players is through the “Play Smart” system, run by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG).
The approach they’ve taken is quite revolutionary, so besides the usual prevention methods, they work on helping players get a better understanding of the industry on a deeper level. This means they assist them with playing tips, money management, and all the other practical aspects of online gaming.
Why Is This a Big Deal for Canada?
First of all, being home to nearly forty million people, Canada is a large country. When you have a population like that, every industry within your borders operates with millions of dollars each year, and online gaming is no exception.
Having a healthy economy means having a healthy workforce, which is why Canada invests so much effort into the application of responsible gambling programs. When you’re on a level Canada is in terms of business infrastructure, you need to make sure you either keep things that way or work on their improvement.
Going backwards is unacceptable, and they’re doing everything they can to prevent this potential issue from spreading and causing damage.
How Do These Programs Protect You?
The biggest impact of responsible gambling initiatives is they help recognize the problem before it grows out of proportion.
One of the recommended prevention tools is the self-exclusion plan. This means the player notifies the casino he’s aware of the potential problem and voluntarily takes a step back from gambling activities for a certain period.
However, for those capable of adopting moderation, there are also technological tools to help them with their new ways. There’s also a limit-setting option, meaning players are free to arbitrarily set a ceiling on how much time they’re allowed to spend or how much money they can bet.
Over time, these tools have been proven to be very productive, but sometimes even they are not enough to prevent the hardest cases.
If the addiction develops, then it’s required that players must be assisted by medical professionals who can help them get through and create habits and mechanisms for further healing. Some people are genetically predisposed to such things more than others, so on some occasions, the only solution is never getting back to gambling activities.
Responsible Gambling Is a Must!
Online casino games come with so much fun, but unfortunately, topics like the one above must also be discussed when talking about them. Responsible gambling can be life-saving if used properly, so make sure not to underestimate the signs of a potential problem in case you spot them.
There are surely going to be many innovations in keeping players safe and healthy in the future, but in the meantime, we have to work with what we have available at hand. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should get spooked and restrain yourself from enjoying online casinos – just implement some of the responsible gambling principles and you’ll be fine in the long run.
