September is marked for a variety of things for various people – back to school, Labor Day, National 401(k) Day (OK, that’s supposedly real, but clearly not the same as the others).
For those of us in or around the gaming industry, September is also Responsible Gaming Education Month. The idea is to bring to the surface best practices and reinforcing commitments to Responsible Gaming practices.
The thing is, both as a player and someone who works for a company that participates in gaming ourselves, it’s not something that’s contained to September. It’s important to talk about those ways to be responsible, and not just the basics like only using your entertainment budget (although that’s an important aspect of it).
For me, I’ve used the space here at Flip The Switch to also talk about other aspects, like managing the emotional aspects of gambling. As a player myself, I’m not immune to the frustrations that can come out of a lengthy losing streak, or the jubilation of winning a massive slot progressive.
How we channel our decision-making can have a lot to do with how we do on these fronts. I vividly recall going on tilt after a massive losing session on craps in 2017, taking the walk of shame back to my room, where I at least been smart enough to break my bankroll into halves so I didn’t burn through it all on day 2 of an 8-day Vegas trip.
The impact of that trip made me make a series of changes in the coming years, from dividing my budget into daily chunks to avoid such a scenario down the line, to even walking away from craps semi-permanently in favor of lower stakes games.
I didn’t necessarily know it at the time, but I was taking steps to protect myself, and also be more responsible with my play. My list of tools have grown over time. I take walks when things are going sideways instead of going on tilt and chasing losses. My daily budget setting means I have something to work with every day of a trip, vs. running the risk of blowing through my trip budget too early – and being tempted to hit the ATM.
For years I even set rules that I couldn’t touch a casino ATM – the money came out beforehand, effectively “declaring” what my visit or trip budget would be. I had a bank with a $400 daily ATM limit for many years, so that set an effective ceiling if I ever violated my rules.
I speak to players who say some of the rules I set they struggle with once at a casino. That’s why I’m also glad there’s tools like Winners Banks, being able to set limits at online sites and even some physical casinos (the first time I saw Gamesense in action at MGM Springfield in Massachusetts was an enlightening moment for me). Some players I’ve spoken to won’t even step into a casino with a bank card, just to put a harder line under their budget for the trip.
I think it’s great that we have a window of time each year where a more concentrated push of messaging to encourage players to take the right steps occur, but it’s something we should reinforce thoughtfully and carefully year round.
I’m proud I work for a company that regularly reminds players to not spend more than you can afford (and this does include Brian, even when his bet size may seem large) and to expect the money you bring to be spent, just like any other entertainment outing like a ball game or a movie. And for some, Brian is a conduit, where they can’t or don’t want to gamble, so they can live vicariously through our content and enjoy the ride without putting a dollar at risk.
Don’t play to win – the house has the advantage and it’s not a formula for success. But if you do win, and on a given day it’s certainly a possibility, you can lock in those gains and bring them home, using a helpful tool like a Winners Bank if it’s too tempting without one.
Yes, gambling is a form of entertainment, but it’s one of the rare ones where you could win money, and it can distort the actual stakes at hand. That’s why Responsible Gaming needs attention year round. That said, I’m glad September encourages us to give it a fresh think and remind ourselves and not just the players of why it’s so important.
