In most regions around the world, the holidays are about taking time to indulge in your favorite activities. Whether it’s spending quality time with friends and family, tucking into your favorite festive foods, or simply kicking back and watching a ball game on the sofa, the holidays offer many of us a chance to hit pause on the daily grind and recharge.

Even during the festive period, perhaps the best gift of all is the time to forget about work for a while and indulge in our favorite pastimes.

For online casino gamers, there might be a bit more time available to play a variety of casino games, such as online slots, blackjack and roulette variants. While we always caution our readers to gamble responsibly, with stake sizes and session times that are appropriate to individual needs, your favorite casino games will remain available throughout the whole holiday period, and support is always at hand at any time.

But do online casino gamers gamble more during the holidays? It’s certainly possible, given that time – for many of us – is finally on our side.

Factors influencing holiday gambling

Although everyone experiences the holidays in different ways, it’s fair to say that for many, it’s a time that revolves around family visits and social engagements.

During the holiday period, there’s an uptick in activities that relax the body and mind. For some, that includes a few spins of the reels in slots, a handful of turns of the roulette wheel or a stash of hands at the blackjack table – whatever it takes to achieve a sense of equilibrium after a day of playing with young family members or of keeping up appearances with your similarly-aged siblings.

Opportunities to get loved ones all together under one roof at the same time can be in short supply due to our busy lives. Card games, such as poker, are also played in many households during the festive period. These popular house games are often used as a way to bring family and friends together, with everyone focusing on the same activity.

There is also the lure of the seasonal sports schedule. This tends to start at Thanksgiving, with the ever-popular NFL slate of games that even non-football fans tend to enjoy. This is followed on Christmas Day by the NBA action that provides armchair viewers with some respite from charades, Monopoly and the like. 

Those who are watching the games at home, with no other engagements to worry about that day, could be more inclined to set a wager or two with their sportsbook – perhaps more so than they might if they were out and about with friends or family, or busy in some other way.

So, as you can see, there may be more of an inclination to gamble over the holiday period thanks to the extra time that most of us can enjoy during the winter months. That being said, practicing responsible gambling during these moments really is of the utmost importance.

Seasonal trends in gambling habits

One of the side effects of the holiday season is that land-based casinos tend to be busier at these times of the year. 

Spending some free time on the casino floors of Las Vegas, New Jersey and the like is considered a popular getaway, which helps to create a vibrant atmosphere. However, there are ramifications for those who want to sit at a certain table in an overly busy environment.

Often full to the brim with patrons, casinos can get a little overcrowded. Although land-based establishments do their best to cater for as many people as possible, it doesn’t come as a big surprise that some favor online casino gaming during the holiday period, for comfort and easy access.

Many people flock to Las Vegas to ring in the New Year. If you just want to experience your favorite games and aren’t too concerned about the sights and sounds of Sin City, then you can take part in the casino experience at home without the razzmatazz of The Strip during the festive period – not to mention the fact that you’ll save on the costs of air travel and accommodation.

To sum up, some gamers will be more inclined to avoid land-based casinos during the holidays – which helps to explain why online casinos experience an increase in traffic during these periods. Happily, your gaming experience won’t be negatively impacted, because you can load up your favorite games whenever you want to play them – there are no queues or wait times to worry about!

Impact of festive promotions and bonuses 

Online casinos always celebrate the holidays. These can include Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Chinese New Year, or even a more light-hearted date in the diary such as Oktoberfest or St. Patrick’s Day. If it is celebrated somewhere around the world, then there’s a chance that a casino site will tie in a unique promotion or two via which its players can secure deposit bonuses, free spins and more.

In the spirit of the festive period, casinos are generally in a particularly giving mood when it comes to their seasonal promotions and bonuses.

For new customers, there is typically a suite of bonuses available that are time-sensitive – some require you to sign up before Christmas Day, for example, whereas for others it might be before midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Players may also benefit from the availability of festive bonuses. From advent calendar-style promos that offer some kind of perk every day of a given month, to the ‘12 Days of Christmas’ and other seasonal promotions, the holidays can be an interesting time for players to seek out these limited-edition special features.

It may also be that standard promotions simply get enhanced in honor of the season. Many online casinos offer daily, weekly and/or monthly leaderboards that their customers can climb based upon their activity, so with more players actively engaged during the holiday period, it is possible that prize money pots could be increased accordingly.

You may have noticed on your casino gaming journey that there are plenty of festive-themed slot games to be played. Look out for bonuses that are specific to these during December – it could be increased jackpots or a time-limited bonus round that is added to the game at this most celebratory time of the year.

It’s safe to say that the offers put into play by online casinos, particularly during the festive period, are another cause for the uptick in gambling during the holidays. As ever, the key aspect for players is to determine which bonuses add genuine value to their gaming experience, and which are best to avoid in their individual situation.

Our tip for making the very most out of festive bonuses and promotions is to take the time to examine the terms and conditions of each offer and try to familiarize yourself with the games you would like to take part in thanks to free demos and written descriptions.

Responsible gambling during holidays

It’s important to gamble responsibly at any time, but as mentioned previously, people generally have more free time to play casino games during the holidays. It is therefore important to be extra careful that you gamble in a responsible way during this period.

So, how can you ensure that you are gambling responsibly during the holidays? The first thing to do is to set yourself limits, both in terms of how much you will wager and also the amount of time you will spend at your chosen online casino. So, make sure that you set a budget and stick to it. The amount of money can be different from one person to the next, but the idea is to maximize your longevity, making a deposit last as long as possible. 

If you are finding it difficult to stick to your budget, then it is definitely time to take a step back and seek some help. Never wager more money than you can afford to lose. If you lose at gambling, simply accept it and move on. 

Another useful tip is to find out the game works before playing. Take the time to read up on the game’s rules and play a demo version of your chosen game if possible.

When you’re gambling, it’s a good idea to take frequent breaks. Go outside and get some fresh air. Eat some of that amazing festive food or make yourself a coffee. Avoid drinking alcohol when gambling.

You should be mindful that more free time on your hands can lead to boredom, and boredom can lead to more time spent on hobbies such as casino gaming. There’s nothing wrong with passing the time of day with a few hands of blackjack or a few spins of the roulette wheel, of course, but keeping the amount of time you are spending gambling similar to your normal sessions is vital to managing your bankroll and not falling foul of irresponsible gambling. Make sure that you also find the time for any other hobbies or activities you enjoy during the holiday period.

To conclude, it is worth remembering that all casino games, whether they are played in land-based casinos or online, are entirely chance-based activities. Winning is never guaranteed, regardless of any strategies employed. In light of this, it is a good idea to set your own limitations. 
Please be assured that assistance is always available at Resorts Casino for anyone who may need it. After all, the holidays are all about time spent with loved ones and relaxing, away from the day-to-day grind of a usual work schedule. Resorts Casino wishes you the very best every day of the year!