Responsible Gaming
Casino Mate is a highly regarded and reputable online casino prioritising fun online gaming. And, it’s also a casino that prioritises responsible gaming. Casino Mate is committed to providing a safe and responsible gambling environment while balancing fun and the exciting allure of big wins.
Publication of a responsible gambling policy is integral to an online casino’s licensing. However, Casino Mate’s approach is more intensive than many others. This casino wants you to have fun in a safe and supportive environment to ensure you know when enough is enough.
Overview of Responsible Gaming Principles
A responsible gambling policy is more than simply meeting governing body licensing requirements. They’re about providing iGamers with information to help them make informed decisions for their health and well-being.
While Casino Mate doesn’t list all Responsible Gaming Principles on its platform, their information encompasses the main points, such as:
- Protecting the interests of customers and vulnerable groups
- Abiding by regulations
- Understanding the social impact of gaming
- Promoting legal and responsible gaming in all activities
Most importantly, Casino Mate wants to emphasise a healthy and enjoyable gambling experience. They do this by ensuring their casino members are educated about what gambling is and how quickly it can become problematic.
Setting Limits and Controls
Most gamblers know how much they want to spend and how much they’re willing to lose. However, that’s not the case for everyone. Some online games can be so engaging that iGamers lose themselves in the moment. Responsible gambling policies with limits and controls can be important in those cases. As a result, Casino Mate, and many other online casinos, choose to make limits and controls available.
Gaming Limits
Casino Mate offers gaming limits. You also see casino platforms describe these as deposit limits. Gaming or deposit limits let you choose how much you’re willing to spend on the gaming platform for a specific period.
Setting these limits is as easy as contacting the administration department. You can tell them the maximum amount you wish to spend per day, week, or month, and they can enforce the changes within 24 hours. When you reach those pre-discussed limits, you cannot play casino games for money until the time period is refreshed.
Cool-Off Period
A cool-off period also called a self-exclusion period, is an account limit when you believe gambling is more than a fun pastime. Rather than relying on self-control, you can put Casino Mate in the driver’s seat.
Casino Mate will lock your account on your behalf within 24 hours of you making your request. You can choose to lock your account for 24 hours, seven days, 30 days, or 90 days. You can contact the support team to reinstate your account if you no longer need your cooling-off period.
Exclusion Period
Anyone who believes they’re no longer safe using Casino Mate can request an exclusion period from the support team. Exclusion periods go beyond ‘cool-off’ periods, with restrictions in place for a minimum of six months. You can also choose a custom period beyond six months or indefinitely.
Exclusion periods are valid for your account, any new accounts you make, and the financial accounts they’re linked to. You may reinstate your account at any time after the minimum six-month period.
Identifying Problem Gambling
Casino Mate’s gambling policy doesn’t include information on the common signs and symptoms of problem gambling. However, this information is available online and through gambling resources provided by Casino Mate. We’ve included it below for your convenience.
- Trying to make up for losses
- Being unable to manage impulsive urges to gamble
- Losing interest in other hobbies
- Increasing the quantities to recoup lost bets
- Hiding your gambling from loved ones
- Denying that you have a problem
- Spending more than you can comfortably afford to lose
- Using gambling for an adrenaline or dopamine rush
- Stealing or borrowing money to gamble
- Prioritising gambling above everything else
Admitting that you have a gambling problem can be tough. In fact, denial is one of the most common symptoms. Sometimes, acknowledging that you have symptoms associated with a gambling addiction can be the first step toward getting help.
Once you realise you have an addiction, you can reach out to some of the support resources advertised by Casino Mate, such as Gambling Therapy. Such support services can provide free practical advice, emotional support, and support forums.
You’re not alone. If you have a gambling addiction, you have more support than you think.
Self-Assessment Tools
Gambling is a fun way to pass the time. You might sit down to enjoy it after a busy day at work or when you have spare time on the weekend. How do you know when gambling is more than entertainment?
Alongside noticing the symptoms above, you can also take this self-assessment questionnaire available on the Gambling Therapy website:
1. Have you bet more than you could really afford to lose?
- Never
- Sometimes/rarely
- Most of the time
- Always
2. Have you needed to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling of excitement?
- Never
- Sometimes/rarely
- Most of the time
- Always
3. When you gambled, did you go back another day to try to win back the money you lost?
- Never
- Sometimes/rarely
- Most of the time
- Always
4. Have you borrowed money or sold anything to get money to gamble?
- Never
- Sometimes/rarely
- Most of the time
- Always
5. Have you ever felt that you might have a problem with gambling?
- Never
- Sometimes/rarely
- Most of the time
- Always
6. Has gambling caused you any health problems, including stress or anxiety?
- Never
- Sometimes/rarely
- Most of the time
- Always
7. Have people criticised your betting or told you that you had a gambling problem, regardless of whether or not you thought it was true?
- Never
- Sometimes/rarely
- Most of the time
- Always
8. Has your gambling caused any financial problems for you or your household?
- Never
- Sometimes/rarely
- Most of the time
- Always
9. Have you felt guilty about the way you gamble, or what happens when you gamble?
- Never
- Sometimes/rarely
- Most of the time
- Always
After filling out this self-assessment questionnaire, you can learn how serious your gambling problem really is. Evaluating your gambling behaviour and risks puts you in a strong position to get the help you need.
Alongside taking advantage of online resources like Gambling Therapy, you can also reach out to gambling addiction service providers near you. Sometimes, talking to friends and family can also ensure you get the necessary wraparound support.
Responsible Gambling Support Organisations
Despite feeling alone with a gambling addiction, there are resources, groups, and support no matter where you are in Australia – and the world.
The National Council on Problem Gambling provides a detailed list of international help contacts, including:
- Gambling Help Online in Australia – 1800 858 858
- National Problem Gambling Helpline in the United States – 1800 GAMBLER
- Problem Gambling Help Line in Nova Scotia, Canada – 888 347 8888
- Danish Gambling Authority in Denmark
- Gluecksspielsucht Problem Gambling Hotline in Germany – 0800 077 6611
- Gambling Helpline Aotearoa in New Zealand – 0800 654 655
- The South African Responsible Gambling Foundation in South Africa – 0800 006 008
Refer to the list for a local gambling support service near you.
Parental Controls and Underage Gambling
Underage gambling can be equally as troublesome as gambling addictions. There are laws in place forbidding people under the legal gambling age from creating iGaming accounts or accessing the accounts of those over the legal gambling age.
Casino Mate’s responsible gambling policy states that gambling for people under 18 is forbidden. It also states that gambling involves risk, should be monitored, and should also be done responsibly.
Casino Mate and other online casinos maintain strict controls to prevent underage gamblers, including the Know Your Customer (KYC) Policy. This policy ensure that online casinos like Casino Mate must request identification when an account is created to ensure they are of lawful age.
While Casino Mate takes measures to prevent underage gambling on their platform, you can also take measures in your own home. The Casino Mate responsible gambling policy and online gambling resources provide internet filters to prevent access to gaming websites, including:
If you still wish to use gambling sites but want to prevent access to underage users at home, take the following steps:
1. Don’t save usernames or passwords on shared devices
2. Prevent access to private devices with saved usernames and passwords
3. Log out of gambling sites when you’ve finished using them
Responsible Gaming Tools and Features
This would end up being a repeat of ‘Setting Limits and Controls’
Promoting Responsible Gaming Culture
The glitz and glam of the Casino Mate platform can make it seem like they prioritise fun games and big wins. However, Casino Mate is also committed to responsible gaming.
Their responsible gambling policy is easy to access on the platform’s menu. It’s also well-formatted, easy to read, and has all the essential information you need as a potential problem gambler.
Casino Mate also includes information about responsible gambling on their homepage, including the all-important tagline: Gambling can be addictive. Play responsibly.
Additional Resources and Information
Gambling addictions can be challenging to manage, but help is available anywhere in the world. If you’re in Australia, you can explore some of the following resources:
- Gambling Help Online – Confidential and private support available 24/7
- Australian Government Department of Social Services
- Gambler’s Help – Free and confidential services
- ReachOut Australia
- Gamblers Anonymous Australia
- SMART Recovery
- Relationships Australia
- The Salvation Army