New Zealand

Gamble Responsibly at New Zealand Online Casinos

A complete analysis of how to gamble responsibly At New Zealand online casinos. Tips and advice of steps to take to avoid problem gambling for New Zealand casino players.

It is very easy to play with real money at New Zealand online casinos. Creating your account takes about a minute. Then you deposit funds electronically, which is an instant transaction. Select the game from the lobby and start betting. It is this ease that becomes the nemesis for a small percent of the players, who get addicted to gambling and are just unable to stop. You will not want to be among them and so this article is important for you.

You will learn how to gamble responsibly, focussing on things that you should do and avoid things that you should not do. We will also tell you how you can get guidance from the online casinos and even external professional agencies.

Responsible Gambling Policy in New Zealand

The New Zealand Gambling Act 2003 bars people under 20 from gambling at land casinos. You have to be 18 or more to engage in other forms of legal gambling activities. Minors will not have the required maturity levels to make gambling decisions like how much money and time to spend on gambling.

As a result, online casinos are required under their licensing conditions, to carry out stringent age verification checks of all players signing up, that begin with your submitting proofs of identity, age and address. It is impossible to bluff your way through this process. As responsible parents there are certain obligations on you as well. You should always log out from the online casino when you finish playing, never leave your log in particulars accessible to your minor children and even install parental control software.

A corollary is that even adults should not gamble when they are not mentally alert to do so. You have come back from work and are tired and sleepy. No matter how strong the urge to spin some rounds of online pokies, do not log in at your favourite online casino. Also, do not gamble after you have had a few drinks too many.

This is just the first step in the responsible gambling policy. It is mandatory for every New Zealand online casino to have a separate Responsible Gambling page that sets out the need to avoid the pitfalls of problem gambling. The page also has to outline the responsible gambling facilities provided by the online casino. In the remaining sections of the article these issues will be dealt with in detail.

Responsible Gambling: Dos & Don’ts

Responsible gambling essentially is the management of three facets, which are (1) Intent, (2) Money and (3) Time.

Intent

The only reason that you should be gambling at online casinos is to have a good time. Allocate a part of your entertainment budget for gambling, just as you do for movies or for eating out. If you win then treat that as a bonus. Gambling at online casinos should not be a source of income for you.

  • Do not gamble to win money for paying off loans
  • Do not gamble to win money for funding a family holiday
  • Above all, do not gamble to recover your losses. The last bet that will bring all your money back is a pie in the sky.

Money

This is the most important aspect of responsible gambling. The mantra is you should not spend more on gambling than you can afford to. The first step is to prepare a weekly or monthly gambling budget. It is not possible to chalk out a one shoe fits all type of plan, but the process works like this.

  1. Estimate the surplus left over from your earnings after providing for essential expenses, savings, taxes and contingencies.
  2. Divide that surplus into the various entertainment activities that you engage in, one of which would be online gambling.

Once the budget is set then it should be sacrosanct and you should never deposit more than the planned amount.

There are a few tips on handling bankrolls in a responsible manner that you should keep in mind.

  • Do not borrow money to gamble. We suggest that players do not use credit cards to make deposits unless they are covered for the amount in their bank accounts.
  • Withdraw your winnings at the end of a session so that you are not tempted to gamble with them. You may end up losing everything you had won earlier.

Time

There are more important things in life than gambling. Family and friends will come to help in troubled times whereas gambling will not. Do not ignore them to meet your desire to play at online casinos. Just as you set a money budget, set a time limit for each gambling session. Log out as soon as that time is over.

You may need to bring work home from time to time, but never take gambling to office. The temptation is high because now you can play at online casinos from your personal smartphones and tablets. Remember, gambling from office is a one-way ticket to gambling addiction. Urgent work has a habit of springing up without warning. If the plumbing needs repairing or children need help with a project cancel your scheduled gambling session.

Indicators of Problem Gambling Behaviour

Gambling addiction does not manifest in a player overnight. It creeps in by incremental degrees and therefore constant vigilance is required. Experts in this area have prepared questions that you should regularly ask yourself. If the answer to any is a “yes” then you need to immediately assess your gambling pattern and take corrective action. A sample of questions is listed below.

  • Do you make additional deposits at online casinos after losing your budgeted bankroll?
  • Do you borrow or steal money to gamble?
  • Do you defer essential expenses so that you are not short of funds for gambling?
  • Do you hide your gambling activities from family and friends?
  • Do you cancel family outings because of your urge to gamble?
  • Are you losing sleep after having started gambling online?
  • Do you feel depressed if a gambling session ends in a loss?
  • Do you gamble during lunch hours at college or at work?
  • Do you get annoyed at having to leave a gambling session for some urgent work?

Responsible Gambling Assistance at New Zealand Online Casinos

Our recommended New Zealand online casinos urge players to consider gambling as a form of entertainment only. The prime objective is to have a good time. These online casinos also provide tools that will enable you to gamble in a responsible manner, and we explain how they work.

Self-Assessment Check List

We have already introduced you to a sample check list. Each online casino will have its own similar version on their Responsible Gambling page. At least once a quarter you must go through the check list, answering questions with absolute honesty. If the answer to any question is “yes”, then you must contact the online casino customer support and seek advice.

Deposit Limits

Online casinos set maximum deposit limits so that players do not gamble in an uncontrolled manner. However, some players would like even smaller deposit limits that match with their budgets. Online casinos allow players to set daily, weekly or monthly deposit limits and you will not be allowed to deposit more than that.

The exact procedure for setting deposit limits will vary from one casino to another. You can check the online casino website or contact customer support.

Self-Exclusion

This is an extreme step but all New Zealand online casinos are required to provide it. If you feel that you are spending too much money or time at online casinos and are unable to stop, then you can self-exclude for a specified period, which could from three months to a year. The online casino will not allow you to log in once you have activated this facility.

Responsible Gambling Assistance from Professional Organisations

Sometimes gambling addiction may get out of control and you will need professional expert assistance. Fortunately, there are credible and reputed organisations in New Zealand that carry out this work. Please do not hesitate in contacting them and be assured that your privacy will be protected. In case you know of a friend or family member afflicted with gambling addiction please encourage them to seek help.

The Problem Gambling Foundation

Apart from assisting players with addiction problems, the Problem Gambling Foundation offers free help to people interested in learning about gambling. You can browse through the detailed literature on their website or contact experts for private counselling.

The Department of Internal Affairs

The Department of Internal Affairs handles many issues, of which one is gambling. Visit their gambling portal for useful information on problem gambling assistance, gambling regulation in New Zealand and more. You can even subscribe to their online magazine for the latest news on the subject.

Gambling Helpline New Zealand

Gambling Helpline operates round the clock and can be contacted through a toll free number. The unique feature of this organisation is that it offers specialised problem gambling services as well.

  • Maori Gambling Helpline
  • Pasifika Gambling Helpline
  • Debt Gambling Helpline
  • Youth Gambling Helpline

The Important Tips at the End

The importance of Responsible Gambling can never be overstated. We have left two important pointers for the end, hoping to imprint them in your minds.

  • Casino games are so designed as to give the casinos an advantage. The return to player will never be more than 100%. You will win sometimes as and when you get lucky, but taken as a whole players will lose a little bit. It is for this reason we urge you not to gamble as a way of earning money.
  • All online casinos do not have fairness and safety measures built in. We do the due diligence so that you can sign up at any of our recommended casinos for a responsible gambling experience.
FAQ

FAQ's

Gambling addiction is a disease that lies latent in about 1% of the population. If you have it, then it may get active any time or may lie latent life-long. If it becomes active you will compulsively gamble more and more. Hence, even if you bet small amounts, you should take all precautions outlined in this article.

  • You can get personal counselling that can be rendered online or face to face.
  • You can join group therapy sessions where you will be in touch with others having similar issues. Online group sessions allow you to participate with user names so that you can conceal your real identity.

All online casinos recommended by us will offer the complete range of responsible gambling facilities. We make sure of that. We urge you not to play at an online casino that is not Responsible Gambling compliant.

There is no way to provide a number. Responsible Gambling says not to wager more than you can afford. Since incomes differ, how much is affordable will also differ. As long as your other expenses and your savings do not feel a pinch you should be safe.

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All of the information available on www.nzcasinoclub.com, including reviews, industry news and advice, is for entertainment purposes only. While we extensively research all of our subject matter in order to provide the most accurate and objective information possible, we do not and cannot accept responsibility for any potential or actual financial losses incurred by visitors to our site. As consumers, it is your own responsibility to understand the gambling laws and regulations applicable in your jurisdiction, which may vary depending on your state, county, or country of residence. For information and/or guidance on responsible gambling, we recommend that you visit official sites such as Gamblers Help or the Problem Gambling page on the New Zealand government's website.

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