Playing slot machines and online slots in the UK are undoubtedly some of the simplest and most fun ways to spend your time gambling. But sometimes a fun pastime can become a little more troublesome if you don’t gamble responsibly. Here are seven pieces of gambling advice that you can follow to ensure you can play slots and have fun responsibly.

1. Set up a budget and stick to it

Before you make a deposit at an online casino, you need to look at your finances and decide how much you want to spend over a certain period of time. Whether that’s each day, each week or each month, or any other period of time, is up to you. Since most people are paid on a monthly basis, you’ll most likely want to set your budget to line up with this. Once you have used all your money from your budget, that’s it until your budget resets. No borrowing money or using any funds outside of your budget to keep on playing as this only reinforces the idea that your budget is meaningless.

Some online casinos can help you set a spending limit on your online casino account.

2. Don’t wager money you can’t afford to lose

When you set a budget, make sure you only use money that you can afford to lose. This means that if you cannot pay any items like your rent, grocery bill or any other regular expenses but you have money to gamble with, your gambling budget is too high. Even if you find yourself winning just enough to pay all your bills, all it takes is one bad run and suddenly you’re short of money to keep a roof over your head and food in your stomach. When you decide on your gambling budget, make sure you can afford to lose it all without a single win without it affecting other aspects of your life.

3. Using time limits when you play

If you find yourself sticking to your financial budget but are concerned about the amount of time you spend each day playing online casino games, you might want to consider using a time limit when you play. This can be set to a specific number of hours each day, or only between certain times. Let’s say you want to play for an hour. You can use your phone or alarm clock to let you know when your hour is up. Similarly, if you find yourself playing past your bedtime, you can also use a reminder on your phone or clock to let you know when it’s time to go to bed.

Some online casinos can also assist in this regard by allowing you to set a time limit to spend playing certain games or when you can log in to play.

4. Take breaks during your gambling sessions

Even if you don’t realise it, all kinds of gaming (even games that don’t involve gambling) can take a toll on your physical and mental health if you play for too long. So, if you have a longer session planned, be sure to schedule regular breaks. For example, if you plan to play for 45 minutes, make sure you plan at least a 10-to-15-minute break where you get up from your device. You can go for a walk or, at the very least, enjoy some time away from your screen before you come back to enjoy the rest of your gambling session.

5. Don’t chase losses because you think your luck will change

When you’re gambling and on a losing streak, you may think that a win is more likely to appear because you’ve racked up so many losses. This kind of thinking is also known as the Gambler’s Fallacy and, unfortunately, it is incorrect. Whenever you gamble, you should assume that each game is independent of past games and that none of the previous results will affect any future results. This is also why you shouldn’t chase losses.

Think of it like rolling a pair of dice. Each time you roll, you have the same chance of landing a specific combination of numbers. The fact that you haven’t landed that number on previous rolls doesn’t change the outcome of a current roll. Each roll of the dice is as if you’re starting from a blank slate.

6. Make sure you know the rules off the game (including the fine print)

To avoid losing money unnecessarily, it’s important to know the rules of the game. This includes knowing what its odds are for payouts. For example, if you make a large wager on a slot without understanding its odds of paying out, you may not win back as much as you’d like, even if you land a good combination of symbols. 

Here’s another example of why knowing the rules is important: Some slot games have a minimum wager in order to qualify for a jackpot prize, so if you are spinning the reels hoping for a lucky combination to bring home the mega jackpot but you haven’t placed the right wager, you’re never going to get it. 

Knowing the rules of a slot game and any of the fine print regarding its wagers and prizes can help you minimise your losses (and disappointment) when you play. 

7. Avoid gambling when you are upset or under the influence

Maybe you’ve had a bad day at work, or you have some personal problems that are affecting your state of mind. Either way, it’s a bad idea to gamble when you are upset. Your decision-making is likely to be compromised, so your choices are unlikely to be optimal. This same applies if you are under the influence of alcohol or another substance. 

If you want to get the most out of your time and money when gambling, you should play when you are in a clear state of mind.

When and where to seek help with a gambling addiction

If you’re concerned that gambling may be negatively affecting your life, here are some signs of gambling addiction to keep an eye out for:

• Constantly thinking about gambling and gambling-related activities
• Putting down larger and larger bets in order to experience a thrill
• Wanting to cut back on gambling but failing to do so
• Lying about your gambling habit
• Prioritising gambling above all your other needs, such as work, relationships or studies

If you want to learn more about problematic gambling and find out where you can get more help, check out the responsible gambling resources on offer at The Phone Casino.

Gamble responsibly and enjoy the best slots online at The Phone Casino

If you’re ready to gamble responsibly and have a great time when you play online slots, you’ll have a great time at The Phone Casino. At our online casino, we have hundreds of exciting online slot machines which cover a variety of genres from Ancient Egypt and mystical China to fantasy adventures and more! And if you want to mix things up a little, why not try your luck with our other exciting games of chance like blackjack, roulette and online scratch cards?

Register at The Phone Casino to find out what luck has in store for you today!