Responsible gambling: limits belong in the cashier
The cashier is where money enters the game, so it is the first place for control. A limit set calmly before a deposit works better than a decision taken mid-session. This page covers the tools and where to find help.
Tools in your profile
- Deposit limit — daily, weekly or monthly; a decrease usually applies at once, an increase after a waiting period.
- Loss and stake limits — where the operator offers them.
- Reality check — a reminder after a set time in a session.
- Break — a temporary suspension of the account.
- Self-exclusion — for a longer period, often also available through national schemes.
Warning signs
- you play with money meant for bills, or with borrowed money;
- you cancel a withdrawal to keep playing;
- you raise stakes to win back losses;
- you hide from people close to you how much you play;
- gambling worries you when you are not playing.
Cancelling a withdrawal to continue is especially telling — if you notice it, set a limit or take a break straight away.
Where to get help
Gambling Therapy — a free, international support service that answers in many languages. Support is confidential and available online.
Many countries also run their own helplines and national self-exclusion registers; see the self-exclusion page.
Licence and player protection
The operator's licence number and regulator are normally shown in the footer of its site. Look the company up in that regulator's public register and check that the company name there matches the one in the operator's terms. Licensed operators have to follow the protection rules of their regulator, including age checks and self-exclusion.
Practical rules
- Decide a monthly amount you can lose without consequences.
- Set the deposit limit in the cashier to that amount.
- Withdraw part of any win instead of playing it back.
- Do not play tired, angry or after drinking.
- Take breaks — a phone timer works too.
If someone close to you gambles
Talk calmly, without blame, and offer help rather than money. Support services also advise family and friends. Do not take on the player's debts; it rarely helps and often prolongs the problem.
Breaks and your balance
Before asking for a break or self-exclusion, withdraw your real-money balance. On self-exclusion the operator usually pays out the remainder, but the process can take time and bonus funds are lost.