People who love to frequent casinos find that with the current situation involving the pandemic, going out to gamble has become rather risky. Instead of just gambling money, they end up gambling their health and wellbeing as well. Since the COVID-19 scare has spanned the globe and has crossed to more than 100 countries worldwide, you wouldn’t know who has it. That person beside you on the blackjack table may not be exhibiting symptoms but may be a carrier.
This health scare is not something to take lightly since it does pose a serious threat to a person’s life. While some people do breeze through the disease somewhat unscathed, there are some who exhibit life-threatening symptoms. It has been said that those with pre-existing conditions and the elderly are more vulnerable, but as time goes on, this is becoming less true. People who are seemingly healthy succumb to the ailment while some of the elderly survive it.
This means this disease can hit anyone and can manifest itself as a mild disease or as one that can kick you down. Whatever the case may be, it is not something you should gamble with and why you should consider alternatives to going to a casino for your gambling fix. What are your options when it comes to gambling in the time of corona? Your only option, it seems, is to gamble online.
Online Gambling and the Health Threat
The availability of online gambling options has made the need to go out to a casino more bearable. You can enjoy your favorite games in the safety of your own home and you can follow the social distancing guidelines that have been set worldwide for keeping the virus from spreading. What is worrisome, however when it comes to online gambling and staying at home with nothing else to do is the threat of developing a gambling problem.
Can isolation and staying at home for your safety truly put you in danger of becoming a problem gambler? Yes, the tendency to become addicted to gambling and racking up massive debts from it is the threat that looms in the horizon for those who turn to online casinos to pass the time. How can this be curtailed and what should be done to ensure that this doesn’t become a problem that persists after the viral threat has been eradicated?
There are ways for you to avoid becoming addicted to gambling and to stop yourself from burning through your credit cards as well as your savings. Here are some tips that can be helpful when it comes to gambling while staying safe at home from the COVID-19 virus:
Set a schedule for when you can gamble – If you set a schedule for your day, you can easily set a time for when you can indulge in online gambling. If you are lucky enough to be able to work from home, you can use your breaks to play your favorite games to de-stress. If you aren’t working from home and you have time on your hands, divide your time to include chores, TV time, family time, correspondence time, news time, meals, and one or two hours of gaming. Always follow your schedule so you don’t end up gambling your days away.
Set a strict bankroll for the day, week, or month – Much like you would do so when there are no health risks to hold you back, setting a bankroll that you can gamble with is a good idea. With a strict bankroll, you will be forced to stop playing when you run out. If you’re winning, you can then follow time rules for your gaming. If you’re losing, the bankroll limit should stop you from adding more funds to your casino accounts.
Don’t turn to gambling when you’re bored – If you find yourself bored with what’s on TV or whatever else you are doing, don’t pick up your smartphone or turn on your PC for a round of games. Find something else to do aside from gambling if you become bored while in lockdown. How do you do that?
List down alternative activities that you can do when you don’t like what you are currently doing. Reading a book, exercising, bathing the dog, learning how to bake, or any other past-time should be considered. Always stick to your gambling schedule to avoid getting hooked and don’t make boredom an excuse to start spinning reels or betting on table games.
What Governments are Doing to Stop Problem Gambling During this Crisis
Aside from stopping yourself from getting in trouble with problem gambling, some government agencies are also looking for ways to stop the increase in gambling debts from rising. One possible solution that is being viewed is the setting of limits for daily deposits. Having a set limit of around £50 per day for any online casino will help curtail the possibility of people amassing gambling debts due to boredom.
Another solution is the current ban on the use of credit cards to deposit funds into online casino accounts. The imposition of this ban couldn’t have come at a better time. This means that people cannot borrow money via their credit cards to play casino games while on lockdown. This is a good thing since a lot of people are out of work and will find it hard to pay off credit card debts at this time.
The Future of Gambling Due to This Virus
One question people are asking about this virus and land-based casinos is, if this problem persists, what will happen to their favorite casino outlets? If the problem does last longer, the only recourse real-life casinos have is to turn to virtual gaming. Those who have been adamant about staying off the online casino bandwagon are now reassessing their decisions. They are looking at having an online outlet for their regulars to use during this particular crisis. Some of the real-life casinos that are doing these include casinos in Macau and a few more in Vegas.
Don’t be surprised if your favorite real-life casino places suddenly have online portals. If this virus persists, that may be the only way these entities can survive such a crisis. As for those who play at these outlets, staying home and playing your favorite games while in your jammies may be the best thing that ever happened to you. You don’t have to get all dressed up to hit the tables and the machines, or maybe you can, if that is one of the things you look forward to with your casino jaunts.
Whatever the case may be, how long this will last and how the gambling world handles it remains to be seen. Adjustments will have to be made, people will have to get used to virtual gambling, and casinos will have to step up to the plate to do what needs to be done to survive this storm.
