How to Gamble for Fun, Not Profit

Gambling can be so much fun and an excellent social activity. But with humans pre-programmed to want to win and make a profit, how can you ensure you’re really gambling for fun?

Gambling in a social environment with a set budget and other activities you love can help keep gambling fun. Read on to learn more tips for keeping gambling fun and low-stress.

1. Gamble in a Social Casino

First and foremost, you will never be able to make gambling fun and not-for-profit if you are all by yourself. While heading to a brick-and-mortar casino with a friend is the best way to keep things social, we know that isn’t an option for everyone.

If you have to gamble online, choose a social casino like MintDice.com where you can use the chat box to discuss with friends (and strangers) while you play. Of course, you can also phone a friend and remain on the line while you both play a game like Bit.Rocket, so you can watch your friend’s avatar bail from the rocket and laugh as you launch yourself further!

2. Set a Budget

The moment you think you have to make money to keep playing, this will add layers of stress to your gaming experience. Remember, some fun things in life just cost money. For example, heading to a movie theater on a Friday night will likely cost you $30, especially if you want to buy drinks and snacks.

Not that there is anything wrong with heading to a movie, you just need to treat gambling the same way. Set a budget for fun gambling, and know that this money is meant to lose. Then, when it’s gone, it’s gone, and the evening is over.

For example, if your budget for a Friday night out is $100, you can take that to a casino and have “fun” there for that same amount. You can sit at the slots, chat with your friend (remember tip #1!), and order drinks from the cocktail server. When the $100 is gone, your night is over, but hopefully you had a really good time with the money you would have spent on a Friday night out anyway!

**Do not set a budget of more than 1% of your household income. If you have a low budget, choose games with low required bets so you can make your money last as long as possible.

3. Mix Gambling With Other Activities

The best way to gamble for fun and not profit is by mixing gaming with other activities. For example, if you love trying new cocktails, head to a cocktail bar in a casino between rounds—combining your two favorite activities.

You can also combine gaming with things like Bingo, Slot competitions, casino shows, watching spots in the sportsbook, trivia, and more. Basically, find a way to combine your favorite social activity with gaming, and you’ll be able to take the pressure off of gaming with ease!

4. Play Your Favorite Game

Everyone knows that only certain games net positive on the casino floor, and if you are looking to make money, you likely force yourself to play these high-return games. It’s time to flip the switch, and play the games you want to play—even if that means you’ll leave with a loss. Remember, you aren’t here to make money, but to enjoy yourself, so play your favorite slot machine and smile!

5. Don’t Play When Emotions Are High

Oftentimes, stress at work, in relationships, and over the future can leak into our free time. If you are struggling with stress from other aspects of your life, it will be really hard to game for fun. So, even if you had advanced plans, it’s best to cancel your trip to the casino, chilling at home instead. This way, you won’t find yourself looped into gaming for profit instead of for fun as you planned. After all, you likely wouldn’t be much fun to play with in this state anyway.

6. Join a Casino Rewards Program

Casino rewards can be a great way to focus on gambling solely for fun. Why? Because even when you lose, you will often still receive rewards from the casino, like weekly gifts, meal vouchers, and more. As such, you may still feel like you’re winning even if it’s not cash.

Now, be careful with this one, as you shouldn’t find yourself gaming just to get to new status levels. No, you sign up, and just put your card in when you game and wait for the rewards to roll your way, don’t even study up on the program, just see what comes your way .

7. Don’t “Study Up”

When people want to gamble for profit, they’ll spend hours researching and studying the game they want to play. Don’t do this. To keep gaming fun, only think about it on Friday or Saturday night before you plan to go out. Otherwise, you don’t look up gambling, watch gambling, or have anything to do with it. This will ensure that all of your interactions with gambling are positive instead of negative.

8. Consider Losses the “Cost” For Fun

The main aspect of gambling that makes it “not fun” is when you think of losses as losses. By nature, humans don’t want to lose. They want to win. So to have fun gambling, you need to think of losses as something other than losing. Personally, we consider them to be the cost of a fun Friday night out. Sometimes, especially in casinos with free drinks, we will mentally associate them with the cost of the drinks we are consuming. The point is, whatever mental gymnastics you need to do, do them, and gaming will be more fun.

Remember, gaming should always be fun, even if you are chasing profit. If gambling is no longer fun for you, you may have a problem. We recommend contacting someone you trust for help before it’s too late.