The role of limits in the fight against gambling addiction
1. Introduction
Gambling addiction is a chronic condition in which a person loses control over the frequency and size of bets, which leads to serious financial and social problems. Limits are a key tool for responsible play, designed to break the cycle of "chasing" losses and prevent emotional decisions during the session.
2. Psychological mechanism of dependence and the role of limits
"Losing chase" symptom: After a series of setbacks, the player seeks to recoup by raising the stakes. The deposit and loss limit automatically stop such an attempt.
Cognitive distortion: belief in a "happy spin" - soft-limit (75-90% warnings) creates a pause for a rational assessment of the situation.
Cognitive fatigue: Long-term play reduces self-control. Time limits and reality checks interrupt the session before fatigue occurs.
3. Types of limits and their preventive effect
4. Soft and Hard limits: a combination of flexibility and hard protection
Soft limits: Upon reaching the threshold (75-90%), the player receives a notification, but can continue after confirmation. They help to realize the borderline state without abrupt termination.
Hard limits: When the 100% threshold is reached, the platform automatically blocks access to the operation (deposit, rate or session) until the end of the period or "cooling off." Non-replaceable, providing a hard barrier against impulsive impulses.
5. Integrating limits with self-exclusion programs
Self-Exclusion: for signs of pathological behavior, the player activates a long lock - from weeks to forever.
Combined protection scheme:
6. Best Practices for Setting Limits
1. Start with low values
Deposits: 5-10% of the free budget for the month.
Rates: 1-2% of the daily limit.
2. Set loss limit
Session: 30-50% daily deposit.
3. Limit Session Time
30-60 minutes with reminders every 15-20 minutes.
4. Enable combined notifications
Pop-up + email + push at 75% and 90%.
5. Run self-exclusion
If soft and hard limits are triggered too often.
7. Monitoring and adjustment
Daily analysis: reconciliation of actual spending with limits in your personal account.
Weekly adjustment: decrease or increase in thresholds by 10-20% depending on the results and psychological comfort.
Document changes - Keep a log of adjustments and reasons to track performance.
8. Conclusion
Limits are not just a technical option, but a fundamental part of the strategy to prevent gambling addiction. The combination of soft and hard limits, adequate parameter settings, regular monitoring and the ability to self-exclude form a multi-level protection system that allows you to maintain control over the game and avoid the destructive consequences of addiction.
Gambling addiction is a chronic condition in which a person loses control over the frequency and size of bets, which leads to serious financial and social problems. Limits are a key tool for responsible play, designed to break the cycle of "chasing" losses and prevent emotional decisions during the session.
2. Psychological mechanism of dependence and the role of limits
"Losing chase" symptom: After a series of setbacks, the player seeks to recoup by raising the stakes. The deposit and loss limit automatically stop such an attempt.
Cognitive distortion: belief in a "happy spin" - soft-limit (75-90% warnings) creates a pause for a rational assessment of the situation.
Cognitive fatigue: Long-term play reduces self-control. Time limits and reality checks interrupt the session before fatigue occurs.
3. Types of limits and their preventive effect
| Limit type | Effect vs. dependency |
|---|---|
| Deposit | Blocks additional investments after reaching the threshold, preventing the account from "warming up." |
| Wagering | Limits the amount of one bet and the total volume of bets per session, reducing the risks of a major loss. |
| Limit of losses | Automatically stops the game when a given amount is lost, breaking the chase cycle. |
| Temporary | Interrupts the game session by timer, gives you the opportunity to rest and regain your composure. |
| Self-exclusion | Full account blocking for a long time, excludes re-inclusion during an exacerbation of dependence. |
4. Soft and Hard limits: a combination of flexibility and hard protection
Soft limits: Upon reaching the threshold (75-90%), the player receives a notification, but can continue after confirmation. They help to realize the borderline state without abrupt termination.
Hard limits: When the 100% threshold is reached, the platform automatically blocks access to the operation (deposit, rate or session) until the end of the period or "cooling off." Non-replaceable, providing a hard barrier against impulsive impulses.
5. Integrating limits with self-exclusion programs
Self-Exclusion: for signs of pathological behavior, the player activates a long lock - from weeks to forever.
Combined protection scheme:
- 1. The first level is soft-limits and reality checks;
- 2. The second level is hard limits on key parameters;
- 3. The third level is self-exclusion in case of exacerbation of dependent behavior.
6. Best Practices for Setting Limits
1. Start with low values
Deposits: 5-10% of the free budget for the month.
Rates: 1-2% of the daily limit.
2. Set loss limit
Session: 30-50% daily deposit.
3. Limit Session Time
30-60 minutes with reminders every 15-20 minutes.
4. Enable combined notifications
Pop-up + email + push at 75% and 90%.
5. Run self-exclusion
If soft and hard limits are triggered too often.
7. Monitoring and adjustment
Daily analysis: reconciliation of actual spending with limits in your personal account.
Weekly adjustment: decrease or increase in thresholds by 10-20% depending on the results and psychological comfort.
Document changes - Keep a log of adjustments and reasons to track performance.
8. Conclusion
Limits are not just a technical option, but a fundamental part of the strategy to prevent gambling addiction. The combination of soft and hard limits, adequate parameter settings, regular monitoring and the ability to self-exclude form a multi-level protection system that allows you to maintain control over the game and avoid the destructive consequences of addiction.
