Responsible Gambling in Arab Countries

What Is Responsible Gambling?

In simplest terms, responsible gambling is the practice of wagering your money at online gambling sites while being aware that it’s only for your entertainment. This includes being fully aware of the risks of gambling and having control over your casino activities, balance, and gambling behavior in general.

Uncontrolled spending can cause problems in any economic activity. Although most people are well aware of the hurdles, gambling can be tricky because of the added excitement.

Though most players take a self-controlled approach, you may find it hard to make rational decisions when gambling. This can lead to overspending or obsessive gaming sessions where you can’t just stop. Now, this is problem gambling. Severe cases lead to gambling addiction, which creates a lower quality of life, deteriorating mental/physical health, and financial/relationship issues, just like any other addiction. So, it’s important to encourage and ensure responsible gambling practices.

How To Look Out For Problem Gambling Behavior

Though the ratio of problem gamblers is low worldwide, there are many at-risk players. In this section, we’ll discuss how you can identify problem gambling behavior in a loved one or yourself.

Chasing Losses

This is where you hope for a huge win to recover your lost amount. However, gambling payouts are random, so there’s no knowing when you’ll get that win, if ever. Over time, you’ll suffer many losses, causing you stress. It’s a sign to stop right there!

Gambling Beyond Your Limits

As it’s a form of entertainment, it’s only rational to stop when you can’t afford to gamble anymore. If you’re going beyond that and betting more than you can afford, it’s a sign that it’s problematic.

Lying or Hiding

When you or a friend starts hiding and lying about gambling activities, it’s evident that there’s something to be concerned about. Avoiding questions about gambling is another sign that you’re going beyond your means to gamble. These are all problem gambling behaviors.

Borrowing Money To Gamble

We don’t borrow money for entertainment, do we? If you’re borrowing money to gamble, it’s no longer a form of entertainment for you. It’s compulsive at that point, and we think it’s time to seek professional help when it happens.

Hearing Concerns From Friends and Family

Just like any other addiction, gambling problems show signs your family and friends can recognize. If someone’s concerned about your gambling activities, it’s way beyond the time to stop. Instead of pushing them away, talk about it and get help.

Withdrawal Symptoms

We’ve found research showing that recovering problem gamblers often experience withdrawal signs like anxiety and depression. You might feel restless, irritated, and stressed or have trouble sleeping. We recommend seeking help through responsible gambling organizations.

Other Problem Gambling Signs

• Gambling until you run out of money.
• Believing you’ll get losses back by gambling more.
• Taking your work for granted or performing poorly.
• Do something illegal to support gambling.

Assess Your Gambling Activity With Playing History

Almost every online casino lets you check your deposit and bet history. Keeping track of these can help you keep your gaming activities in check and set limits. Here’s how to check your gambling history:

1. Log in to your casino account.
2. Click on your avatar from the homepage or go to the “My Account” tab.
3. In your dashboard, look for options like “Transaction History” or “Playing History.”
4. Depending on the site, you can set filters or date ranges.
5. After setting the filters, look at the detailed breakdown of your gambling activities.
6. Check if you spend more time or money than you should and set limits.
7. If you find signs of problem gambling, consider taking a break or self-exclusion.

Gamble Responsibly With Tools at Online Casinos

Online gambling sites offer different types of responsible gambling tools for protecting at-risk players. In many jurisdictions, they are bound to do so. Check out the tools at your disposal.

• Session Limits: With this tool, you can set how long you want to play. When you run out, the online casino will log you out and restrict login until the timer resets.
• Deposit Limits: Here, you cap the amount you deposit at a site. It’ll block your deposits beyond that cap to prevent you from overspending.
• Loss Limits: This option allows you to choose how much you can afford to lose. When you reach the limit, the operator will not let you play any longer.
• Time Outs: When you think it’s time to take a break from gambling, you can choose to stay out of a site. You can typically choose a period of weeks to six months or a year.

How To Self-Exclude

Self-exclusion is a more permanent break from gambling when you need one. We’ve seen that most online casinos and sportsbooks allow you to stay restricted for six months to five years or longer. Here’s how it works at most sites:

1. Visit the casino platform and sign in.
2. Contact customer support and explain your situation.
3. Choose an exclusion period and go through the process.

Seek Help at Responsible Gambling Organizations

We did find a lack of responsible gambling organizations in Arab countries, but you can seek help through these global platforms:

Gamblers Anonymous (GA)

This is a support group for those of you recovering from gambling addiction.

Website: https://www.gamblersanonymous.org

Gamcare

You can get free support, information, and advice on problem gambling. We also found the online forums and live chat very effective.

Phone Number: 0808 8020 133

Website: https://www.gamcare.org.uk

Gambling Therapy (Gordon Moody)

This organization also offers you online support and advice. We’ve also found multilingual resources on their platform.

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.gamblingtherapy.org

International Centre for Responsible Gaming (ICRG)

We found that their focus is on research, education, and awareness to keep you informed on gambling addiction.

Email: [email protected]

Phone Number: 978-338-6610

Website: https://www.icrg.org

Responsible Gambling Tips and Strategy

Let’s go over a few tips from our experts at ArabCasinoGuide to help you gamble responsibly:

• Take gambling as a form of entertainment rather than a way to earn.
• Choose a licensed, audited, and reputable Arab online casino.
• Set time and financial limits before starting a gaming session.
• Set daily, weekly, and monthly budgets and stick to those.
• Never gamble under the influence to avoid irrational decisions.
• Never chase losses; quit when your limits run out.
• If in trouble, consider using self-exclusion tools.

Manage Your Bankroll Efficiently

Since you gamble with real money at online casinos, we think managing your bankroll is the first step toward responsible gambling. To get started, set an amount you can afford to spend. Remember, gambling is entertainment you pay for, so only spend the amount you have no problem losing.

Say, you can afford to lose $50. Your next task is determining how many rounds or spins you want to play and calculating how much you can spend on each. For instance, you can play 100 rounds, betting $0.50 each time. So, naturally, you’d now choose games that allow bets of this size per reel/spin/round. We recommend slots with a $0.10 bet per spin/payline, but let’s leave that to you.

Set clear limits and stick to those. Use your casino’s responsible gambling tools like session, loss, and deposit limits. Take a break when you should, and never chase losses. Manage your winnings wisely; we don’t recommend gambling away every cent you win. You should understand that the house always wins in the long run. If it gets tough to control your gambling habits or if you experience problem gambling behavior, don’t hesitate to seek professional help.

How Can You Block Gambling Payments?

If you feel that setting limits isn’t cutting it for you, you can block gambling transactions to and from your bank, cards, or e-wallets. Here’s how to block online casino transactions on Revolut:

1. Visit the website or launch the mobile app.
2. Go to your settings.
3. Look for the gambling block feature in options like card security.
4. Use the feature to set limits or block casino transfers.
5. Once you set the block, Revolut will block casino transactions with your card.

How Can You Stop Seeing Gambling Ads?

You can adjust your preferences on Facebook and YouTube to stop seeing gambling ads. Here’s how:

Avoiding Real Money Gambling Ads on Facebook

1. Log in to your account.
2. Click or tap on your profile picture.
3. Go to “Settings & Privacy,” then select “Settings.”
4. In the Meta Accounts Center, go to “Ad preferences.”
5. Find the “Ad topics” heading and hit “See all.”
6. In the next popup, go to “View and manage topics.”
7. Find and go to the category “Real money gaming” and/or other related topics.
8. Select “See less,” and you’re done.

Did you know? You can also use the search bar in the sixth step, but we think it’s best to go through the whole list in the seventh step.

Get Fewer Gambling Ads on YouTube

1. Visit YouTube.
2. Click on your avatar and go to “Settings.”
3. On the left sidebar, select “Privacy.”
4. Find “Ads on YouTube” and click “My Ad Center.”
5. Hit “See all” under “See your latest.”
6. Click the minus icon (–) on all topics and brands related to online gambling to see fewer ads about it.

Gambling in Arab Countries

Gambling is a popular pastime in Arab countries, just like anywhere else in the world. However, it’s illegal in many countries, so check local laws before signing up at an online casino. We’ve reviewed dozens of online casinos to keep you out of harm’s way. All sites on our list are properly licensed and regulated by reputable global authorities like the Curaçao GCB.

We usually find thousands of games at Arab online casinos. You can even claim bonuses while enjoying fast withdrawals and efficient customer support. We also ensure that the operators offer enough responsible gambling tools and features to keep your betting habits in check. For any form of gambling, we recommend taking a responsible approach.