WindCreekCasino.com and its contract partners (including Pala Interactive) are proud to extend the gaming excitement of our physical locations to Guests who enjoy playing online, and we are committed to ensuring that our Guests have the resources they need to play responsibly. Most of our Guests enjoy the excitement of gaming and play responsibly, but we recognize that there are some players who do not. Here’s some useful information that we encourage all of our Guests to understand.
Play Responsibly – Set Limits
Here are some simple steps you can take to help you manage your play responsibly.- Set a Deposit Limit. You can set daily, weekly or monthly limits that prevent you from being able to deposit more than a specified amount during that period.
- Set a Bet Limit. You can set limits that prevent you from being able to wager more than a certain amount on any single action.
- Set a Time Limit. You can set a limit on the number of hours per day that you will be able to play.
- Take A Break. You can choose to suspend your ability to play for a set period of time.
What is Problem Gambling?
Problem Gambling is gambling behavior that causes disruption in a person’s life and can be mental, physical, social and/or work-related. Problem Gambling includes a progressive addiction characterized by increasing preoccupation with gambling, a need to bet more money more frequently, restlessness or irritability when attempting to stop, “chasing” losses and loss of control with continued gambling in spite of serious, negative consequences. Underage gambling also represents a form of Problem Gambling. This year, between 6 to 8 million American adults will meet criteria for Problem Gambling. Because it has genetic and behavioral components, it is considered a mental health and public health issue. While the ultimate responsibility for an individual’s gambling problem is his or her own, the gaming industry, including vendors, has a role in addressing this issue as well. WindCreekCasino.com is committed to addressing this problem so this behavior does not harm our guests, employees or community. For more information, please visit ResponsiblePlay.PA.GovHow to Identify Problem Gambling
Here are some questions that have been developed to help individuals determine whether they have a gambling problem.- Have you used your income or savings to gamble while letting bills go unpaid?
- Have you ever gambled to escape from personal problems, or to relieve uncomfortable feelings such as guilt, anxiety, helplessness or depression?
- Have you lied to family members, friends or others about how much you gamble, and/or about how much money you lost?
- Has gambling created conflict and unhappiness in your relationships with family or friends? Has gambling caused problems for you at work or school?
- Have you been preoccupied with thoughts of your gambling experiences, planning future gambling bets or ways of getting money to gamble with?
- Have you made repeated and unsuccessful attempts to stop, cut down or control your gambling?
- Have you ever broken the law or considered breaking the law to finance your gambling?
- Have you ever written a bad check, taken money that didn’t belong to you or borrowed money to finance your gambling?
- Have you often gambled until your last dollar was gone?
- Have you gambled to get money to pay debts or to attempt to solve other financial problems?
Rules of Responsible Gambling
- If you choose to gamble, do so for entertainment purposes. If your gambling is no longer an enjoyable activity, then ask yourself why you are still “playing.”
- Treat the money you lose as the cost of your entertainment. Treat any winnings as a bonus.
- Set a dollar limit and stick to it. Decide before you go not only what you can “afford” to lose, but how much you want to spend. Do not change your mind after losing.
- Set a time limit and stick to it. Decide how much of your time you want to allow for gambling. Leave when you reach the time limit whether you are winning or losing.
- Expect to lose. The odds are that you will lose.
- Make it a private rule not to gamble on credit. Do not borrow money to gamble.
- Create balance in your life. Gambling should not interfere with or substitute for friends, family, work or other worthwhile activities.
- Avoid “chasing” lost money. Chances are the more you try to recoup your losses, the larger your losses will be.
- Don’t gamble as a way to cope with emotional or physical pain. Gambling for reasons other than entertainment can lead to problems.
- Become educated about the warning signs of problem gambling. The more you know, the better choices you can make.
Myths and Facts About Problem Gambling
- Myth: You have to gamble everyday to be a problem gambler. Fact: A problem gambler may gamble frequently or infrequently. If a person’s gambling is causing psychological, financial, emotional, marital, legal or other difficulties for themselves and the people around them, then they have a gambling problem.
- Myth: Problem gamblers gamble at any opportunity on any form of gambling. Fact: Most problem gamblers have a favorite form of gambling that causes them problems. Some gamblers also engage in secondary forms of gambling, but these are not usually as problematic.
- Myth: Problem gambling is not really a problem if the gambler can afford it. Fact: Problems caused by excessive gambling are not just financial. If a person’s gambling is interfering with their ability to act in accordance with their values, then there is a problem. For example, too much time spent on gambling means less time to spend with family, friends and others. It can lead to relationship breakdown and loss of important friendships.
- Myth: Problem gamblers are irresponsible people. Fact: Many problem gamblers hold, or have held, responsible community positions. In addition, even people with a long history of responsible behavior are vulnerable to developing a gambling problem. When a person is having a problem gambling episode, that person is unable to control their gambling and in this compromised state their actions look like irresponsible behavior.
- Myth: Children are not affected by problem gambling. Fact: Surveys show that about 10% to 15% of American and Canadian youth have experienced gambling-related problems and 1% to 6% of these individuals may satisfy diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling. Additionally, children of problem gamblers have been shown to be at a higher risk of developing health-related behaviors. This includes alcohol and drug use, problem gambling, eating disorders, depression and suicide.
- Myth: Partners of problem gamblers often drive problem gamblers to gamble. Fact: Problem gamblers are skilled in finding ways to rationalize their gambling. Blaming others is one way to avoid taking responsibility for actions, including actions needed to overcome the gambling problem.
- Myth: Financial problems are the main reason that problem gamblers’ relationships break down. Fact: It is true that money problems play an important part in ending relationships, however, many non-gambling partners say that the lies and lack of trust is the biggest cause.
- Myth: Parents of problem gamblers are to blame for their children’s behavior. Fact: Many parents of problem gamblers feel hurt and guilty about their son’s or daughter’s gambling behavior, but they are not to blame.
- Myth: If a problem gambler builds up a debt, the important thing to do is to help them get out of the financial problem as soon as possible. Fact: Quick fix solutions are often attractive to everyone involved and may appear to be the right thing to do, however, “bailing” the gambler out of debt may actually make matters worse by enabling gambling problems to continue.
- Myth: Problem gambling is easy to recognize. Fact: Problem gambling has been called the hidden addiction. It is very easy to hide as it has few recognizable symptoms, unlike alcohol and drug use. Many problem gamblers themselves do not recognize they have a gambling problem. Problem gamblers often engage in self-denial.
How Gambling Hurts
People with a gambling disorder will gamble every chance they get. When they’re not gambling, they’re often thinking about it:- The thrill of gambling
- The anticipation of their next “big win”
- The friends and family members who are upset with them
- The bills they can’t pay
Signs of Problem Gambling
- Being preoccupied with gambling
- Feeling restless and irritable when not gambling
- Increasing bets to increase gambling excitement
- Lying or getting defensive about gambling
- Gambling to escape problems
- Risking your job, relationships and freedom