Safe Gambling Guide

Set limits before you play

Decide in advance how much money and time you can afford to spend. Stick to that limit even if you are winning or losing. Only use money that is not needed for bills, rent, or essentials. Never borrow or use credit to gamble.

• Deposit limits – Set a daily, weekly, or monthly cap in your casino account. Licensed sites offer this in the responsible gambling or account settings section.
• Time limits – Give yourself a set session length. Use a timer or the site’s “reality check” if it reminds you how long you’ve been playing.
• Loss limits – Decide the maximum you are prepared to lose in a session and stop when you reach it.

Use operator tools

Licensed casinos (e.g. UKGC, MGA) must offer responsible gambling tools. Use them to enforce your limits and stay in control.

• Deposit limits – Cap how much you can deposit per day, week, or month. You can usually lower the limit at any time; increasing it often has a cooling-off period.
• Reality checks – Pop-up reminders after a set time (e.g. every 30 minutes) showing how long you’ve been playing and your balance.
• Session limits – Some sites let you set a maximum session length after which you are logged out.
• Self-exclusion – Temporarily or permanently exclude yourself from the site (or from all licensed sites via a national scheme). See below.

Never chase losses

Losing can make you want to “win it back.” Chasing losses usually leads to bigger losses and more distress. Accept that losing is part of gambling. If you find yourself increasing stakes or playing longer to recover losses, stop and take a break. Never gamble to get out of debt.

Don’t gamble when you shouldn’t

Avoid gambling when you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, stressed, angry, or depressed. Gambling is not a solution to emotional or financial problems. If you are using it to escape or to feel better, that’s a warning sign—consider talking to someone or using the support resources below.

Warning signs to watch for

Gambling can become harmful or addictive. Be aware of these signs in yourself or someone close to you:

• Spending more money or time than you intended, repeatedly.
• Borrowing money or selling things to gamble.
• Lying about how much you gamble or hide it from others.
• Thinking about gambling a lot or feeling restless when you try to stop.
• Gambling to escape problems or to feel better.
• Neglecting work, relationships, or other responsibilities because of gambling.

If any of this sounds familiar, it’s worth reaching out for support. Help is free and confidential. See our Responsible Gambling page for organisations like GamCare, BeGambleAware, and national helplines.

Self-exclusion

If you want to stop or take a long break, self-exclusion can help. You can exclude yourself from a single site (in account settings) or from many licensed operators at once via a national scheme.

• UK – GAMSTOP lets you self-exclude from all UKGC-licensed sites. Registration is free.
• Other countries – Many jurisdictions have similar schemes. Check your national regulator or a support organisation (e.g. GamCare, BeGambleAware) for links.

During self-exclusion you will not be able to open new accounts or use existing ones at participating operators. Take it seriously—choose a period that gives you a real break.

Where to get help

If gambling is affecting your life, you don’t have to deal with it alone. Professional support is available 24/7 in many countries. We list key resources on our Responsible Gambling page: GamCare, BeGambleAware, and national helplines. Use them—they are there to help.

Age restriction

You must be 18 or over (or the legal age in your country) to gamble. We do not target minors. If you are under 18, do not gamble.