If you choose to gamble for free you have already taken a big step towards gambling responsibly. But you may be tempted to deposit real money into any of the available gambling outlets you can find online. If you choose to do so you must have a budget and all your limits planned out ahead of time. Even holding on to your winnings can be challenging whether you gamble for free or for real money.
Budgeting
Doing some simple math will help you make better decisions when you gamble. Even professional gamblers don't risk money they need to maintain their lifestyle and you shouldn't either. Always calculate how much money per day/month/year you risk gambling and compare it to how much money you have coming in. This is very important if you spend $50 per month gambling thats adds up to $2600 in a year. If you only make $17,000/year then you are effectively risking 15% of your total income. Depending on the game you play and how you play it statistically you should be at a loss unless you have some sort of Advanced Gambling Strategy.
Winning Money
Winning money can more stressful then you might think. Depending on how you gamble you should always take to time to consider whether or not the money is disposable. Most games you can play online and even live have a house advantage. This means that when you finally win big you might have to use all the money to pay for your losses. But lets suppose that you win big. First thing you do is talk to a professional about how maintain your gambling wins. Most people who win a large amount have nothing to show for it in the long run, don't let this be you. When you stop gambling its like saving money because the odds almost always against you.