Responsible gaming

Warning signs

The signs that matter are behavioural, not financial — they show up long before the money does.

• Betting more than you can afford to lose, or money set aside for something else
• Chasing losses with bigger bets to get back to even
• Hiding how much you play, or lying about it when asked
• Playing to escape stress, boredom or low mood rather than for entertainment
• Borrowing, selling things, or using credit to fund play
• Relief rather than enjoyment when you win, because it clears a hole
• Being unable to stop at a limit you set yourself

Control tools, and when to set them

Set these when you open an account, not when you need them — the point at which you need a limit is the point at which you are least likely to set one. Licensed operators are required to offer them; offshore ones vary, and whether they do is worth checking before you deposit.

• Deposit limits — daily, weekly or monthly. Increases usually take effect only after a cooling-off period; decreases should be immediate.
• Loss and wager limits — a cap on net loss or total stake, which bites where a deposit limit does not if you are recycling winnings.
• Session time limits and reality checks — a periodic on-screen reminder of elapsed time and net position.
• Cooling-off — a short account pause, typically 24 hours to six weeks, reversible when it ends.
• Self-exclusion — a longer block, commonly six months to five years, which cannot be lifted early. Multi-operator schemes exist in some jurisdictions and cover every licensed site at once.
• Blocking software — Gamban, BetBlocker and GamBlock work at the device level and cover unlicensed sites that self-exclusion cannot reach. BetBlocker is free.

Where to get help

All free and confidential, and none of them will try to sell you anything.

• BeGambleAware — free advice and treatment referral, with a 24/7 National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 in Great Britain.
• GamCare — counselling, live chat and support groups, including for family members.
• Gamblers Anonymous — peer support meetings, in person and online, in most countries.
• Gamban and BetBlocker — device-level blocking that also covers unlicensed sites.
• In Brazil, the CVV offers free, confidential emotional support on 188, 24 hours a day. See our Portuguese page.
• Elsewhere, search for your national gambling helpline — most countries have one.

What this site will not tell you

There is no system, no strategy and no bonus that makes gambling profitable. A lower house edge is a slower loss, not a gain. Our break-even table exists to show you what an offer actually costs, not to help you beat one — and of the three operators whose own terms publish enough to compute, every one prices its bonus above the point where it turns negative. If you are playing to win back what you have lost, no page on this site can help with that, but the services above can.