Responsible Gambling

18+ only. Everything on this site is written for adults. Gambling is illegal or restricted in many countries; please check the law where you live.

Our position in one sentence

Gambling can be an enjoyable pastime when it is affordable and occasional, and it should never be treated as a source of income or a way out of financial trouble.

Habits that keep it in proportion

• Decide your spending limit before you start, and accept you may lose all of it.
• Set a time limit and use an alarm.
• Do not chase losses with bigger or more frequent bets.
• Avoid gambling when stressed, low, lonely or after drinking.
• Never borrow or use money meant for essentials.
• Balance gambling with other activities you enjoy.

Signs it may be time to step back

• spending more time or money than you intended, more often than not;
• hiding gambling from people close to you;
• feeling restless or irritable when you try to cut down;
• borrowing, selling things or missing payments because of gambling;
• gambling to escape problems or difficult feelings.

Tools that help

Licensed operators offer deposit and loss limits, time reminders, cooling-off periods and self-exclusion. Some countries also run national self-exclusion schemes, and many banks let you block gambling payments. Device-level blocking software covers sites that ignore those schemes. Our article on cooling-off and self-exclusion tools explains the options.

Finding support

Free and confidential help exists in most countries, through gambling helplines, health services, counsellors and peer support groups. A search for "gambling help" plus the name of your country is a good first step, as is a conversation with your doctor. If someone close to you is affected, support is available for families and friends too.

Minors

If children use your devices, consider parental controls and filtering software, and keep gambling apps and accounts locked.