Play Responsibly
Responsible Gambling
Online casinos can be entertaining when played within limits. They can also do real damage when they aren't. This page is for anyone who's wondering whether their play has crossed a line, for anyone who already knows it has, and for the friends and family trying to help. The tools and helplines listed here are free.
Warning signs
Problem gambling rarely announces itself. It tends to creep in as a small change in how you spend, sleep, and think. The signs are worth taking seriously well before they reach a crisis. Common markers include:
- Spending more than you planned, more often than you planned, or chasing losses to break even.
- Lying to family or partners about how much you've gambled or how much you've lost.
- Borrowing money — from people, from credit cards, or from sources you can't easily pay back — to keep playing.
- Feeling restless or irritable when you try to cut back, or playing to escape from stress, anxiety, or low mood.
- Gambling time creeping into work hours, sleep, or commitments to people who matter.
- A sense that the next big win will fix things — financially, emotionally, or both.
If two or three of these resonate, it's worth talking to one of the organizations listed below — even if just to talk it through. None of them charge, and none require you to identify yourself.
Setting limits at most casinos
Most licensed casinos give players a set of free, built-in tools for capping their own play. They're typically buried in the account settings or cashier; if you can't find them, live chat support is required to walk you through them.
- Deposit limits — daily, weekly, or monthly caps on how much you can deposit. Increases usually take 24 hours to take effect; decreases are instant.
- Loss limits — caps on net losses inside a window. Once the limit hits, wagering on real money is disabled until the window resets.
- Wager limits — caps on the total stakes placed in a window, regardless of outcome.
- Session time limits — automatic logout after a set duration. Useful when the problem is time, not money.
- Reality checks — periodic pop-ups summarizing time spent and net win/loss for the session. Easy to dismiss, but useful as a circuit breaker.
- Cool-off — short, voluntary lockouts (24 hours, 7 days, 30 days). The account is fully blocked from wagering until the period ends.
Self-exclusion
Self-exclusion is a more serious lockout — usually 6 months, 1 year, or 5 years — and is irreversible for the period selected. The casino closes your account, refunds the cleared balance, and must refuse re-registration for the duration. Most reputable operators offer it on request via support.
National self-exclusion schemes block you from multiple operators at once: the UK runs GAMSTOP (covers all UK-licensed sites), and several US states run their own programs. These are the strongest available tool when individual-site exclusion isn't enough.
Where to get free help
The organizations below are free, confidential, and staffed by people trained in problem gambling specifically — not generic counseling. You don't need to be in crisis to call. Most accept questions from family members and partners as well.
National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133 (24/7, free)
Independent UK charity offering free, confidential information, advice, and support. Includes a self-assessment tool and treatment finder.
- GamCareUK
0808 8020 133 · Live chat at gamcare.org.uk
UK's leading provider of treatment and support for problem gambling. Offers free counseling, online groups, and a structured self-help programme.
- Gamblers AnonymousInternational
Find a meeting via gamblersanonymous.org
Twelve-step fellowship of men and women who share their experience to help others recover. In-person and online meetings worldwide.
- Gambling TherapyInternational
Free online support · live chat · forums
Free practical advice and emotional support to anyone affected by problem gambling — including friends and family — in multiple languages.
- National Council on Problem GamblingUnited States
1-800-GAMBLER · text 800GAM (24/7, confidential)
US-based national resource. Confidential helpline, treatment provider directory, and state-by-state resource lookup.
For partners and family
Problem gambling affects the people around the gambler at least as much as the gambler themselves. Most of the helplines above (notably GamCare, Gambling Therapy, and the NCPG) accept calls from spouses, parents, siblings, and friends. They can talk through how to raise the conversation, what financial protections to put in place, and what to expect from recovery.
The single most useful thing a family member can do early is separate finances and protect shared accounts — not as punishment, but as scaffolding while the gambler stabilizes. The helplines listed above can help you do that without making the situation worse.