Responsible Gambling

Gambling is a form of entertainment. Like any activity involving money and risk, it carries the potential for harm when not approached with care. This page sets out the principles of responsible gambling, the tools available to manage your activity, and the resources that exist if gambling stops feeling enjoyable.

Gambling as Entertainment, Not Income

Licensed gambling products — including casino games, sports betting, and poker — are designed with a mathematical house edge. Over time, the statistical outcome for any player is a net loss. Gambling should never be treated as a reliable source of income, a way to address financial difficulties, or a method of recovering previous losses.

Participation is only permitted for individuals aged 18 or over. If you are unsure whether a particular jurisdiction sets a higher age limit, check with the licensed operator directly before registering.

Principles of Responsible Play

Maintaining control over your gambling activity involves a few consistent habits:

  • Set a budget before you start and do not exceed it regardless of outcome
  • Decide on a time limit for each session and use platform tools to enforce it
  • Never chase losses — a losing streak is not evidence that a win is due
  • Avoid gambling when you are stressed, tired, or under the influence of alcohol or other substances
  • Keep gambling separate from financial obligations such as rent, bills, or savings

Self-Assessment

It can be useful to periodically ask yourself honest questions about your relationship with gambling. Consider whether you:

  • Spend more than you originally intended on a regular basis
  • Find yourself thinking about gambling when you are not playing
  • Use gambling to cope with negative emotions or boredom
  • Feel irritable or restless when you try to reduce your activity
  • Have concealed the extent of your gambling from people close to you

If several of these statements resonate, it may be worth taking a more formal self-assessment, such as those offered by specialist organisations referenced at the end of this page.

Tools Available Through Operators

Regulated operators are required to offer a range of player protection tools. These typically include:

  • Deposit limits — daily, weekly, or monthly caps on how much you can add to your account
  • Session time limits — automatic prompts or logouts after a defined period of play
  • Reality checks — periodic notifications showing how long you have been playing and your net result
  • Time-out — a short-term break from the platform, usually ranging from 24 hours to several weeks
  • Self-exclusion — a longer-term voluntary block, typically a minimum of six months, during which the operator must not permit access or send promotional communications

These tools are usually found in the responsible gambling or account settings section of a licensed platform. If you cannot locate them, contact the operator's support team directly.

Early Signs of Problem Gambling

Problematic gambling behaviour often develops gradually. Early indicators may include: increasing the size or frequency of bets to maintain the same level of excitement, returning quickly after a loss to try to recover money, neglecting work, family, or social obligations in favour of gambling, and borrowing money or selling assets to fund play.

Recognising these patterns early significantly improves the outcome of any intervention.

External Help and Support

Several independent organisations provide free, confidential support to individuals affected by problem gambling — including family members and friends. Types of support available include:

  • National helplines staffed by trained advisors
  • Online self-help programmes and structured therapy referrals
  • Anonymous peer-support groups
  • One-to-one counselling services

We do not publish specific telephone numbers on this page as contact details for support organisations may change. We recommend searching for accredited problem gambling support services in your country of residence, or visiting the website of your national gambling regulator for a verified list.

Protecting Minors

Gambling websites must not be accessible to persons under the age of 18. If you share a device with a young person, we recommend:

  • Using parental control software to block access to gambling-related domains
  • Not saving login credentials in a browser accessible to children
  • Having an open conversation with young people about the risks associated with gambling

If you believe a minor has accessed a gambling platform, contact the operator immediately.

A Note on Control

Gambling remains enjoyable when it is a conscious choice made within defined limits. The tools described above exist to support that choice. If at any point gambling feels like something you cannot control, the resources mentioned on this page are a practical starting point.