Responsible Gambling & Play Safe Guide

It can often be hard to spot the small pointers that lead to the realisation of a problem is something we do on a regular basis. Online gambling is one of those places where problems can go unrecognised, but it's not impossible to find out more.

Take a look at the following statements. If you can answer 'yes' to any of them, you may need to contact someone for more help and information.

• Do you find yourself preoccupied with online gambling?
• If you lose, you feel the need to increase your deposits?
• If you try to cut down on how much you gamble, you become irritated?
• Have you lied about how much or how often you spend gambling?
• Has gambling come between you and a loved one?
• Have you asked your friends and family for money to use for gambling?

Having the self-control to set limits is an important aspect of gambling online. Setting limits to how often you play, how much you're willing to lose, and how much money you're able to deposit into your account is of the utmost importance.

Every day, you have the chance to make gambling a problem or a fun way to pass the time by the choices you make. If you're set on staying a responsible gambler, then these limits are not an option. Many online casinos also give you the option to set limits to your account which can't be changed once they've been triggered.

As with all forms of entertainment, it's important to step back and take a breath from time to time. Taking a break could be as simple as not playing at your favourite online casino or perhaps making use of account options that allow you to shut your account for a certain amount of time.

One of the most common telltale signs of developing a gambling problem is the scramble to find cash to fund your habits. Setting limits to how much you're willing to spend can be a good way to keep track of how much you spend. Once you've run out of cash, that's when it's time to stop. If you feel the need to consistently add funds to your account, and you're unable to stop yourself, you may need help.

Online casinos around the world are working to make your playing experience safer than ever before. The addition of responsible gambling features has led many to believe that online gambling is, in fact, safer than gambling in a land-based casino.

Whether or not that's true, these features could be a huge help for many players who require a little help along the way. These features include the following.

• Deposit Limit – Activate this feature and the amount of money you're able to deposit into your account will be limited. Once the limit is reached, you'll be unable to make any new deposits for a set amount of time. These limits can generally be set for a day, week, or month.
• Wager Limit – Similar to the Deposit Limit feature, once you maxed out the amount of wagering you're limited to do on your favourite casino games, you'll be unable to make any other wagers. Even if you still have cash in your account, the wagering limit will lock you out for a predetermined amount of time.
• Loss Limit – If Lady Luck simply isn't on your side, this feature can prevent you from chasing after that elusive big win and protect your pocket. If you've lost a certain amount of cash or a particular number of hands in a row, your account will be locked down.
• Self-Exclusion – If you feel that you need help and you don't want to be tempted, activate the self-exclusion feature and you'll be locked out of your account entirely. Whether you choose to do this for a week, a month or a year is entirely up to you.

If you want to know whether or not you have a gambling problem, why not take a quick and easy test? Found at helpful websites such as GamCare, answer the questions listed and you may just learn something new about yourself.

Once you've completed the questionnaire, reach out to an organisation that can help you when you need it most. Remember, there is no shame in reaching out for help from those who have the expertise to help you change for the better.

Gambling responsibly is a large focus for many online casinos now, but this wasn't always the case. Thanks to organisations such as GamCare, Lifeline, and GambleAware, online casinos are making changes to help their customers play responsibly wherever possible.

There are many organisations to reach out to when you're in need and there may be those that are specific to your country of residence.

Contact the following organisations for more information:

• United Kingdom

Gamblers Anonymous
GamCare
Helpline: 0808 8020 133

• United States

National Problem Gambling
Helpline: 1-800-522-4700

• Australia

Gambling Help Online
Helpline: 1-800-858-585

• Canada

Problem Gambling Helpline

• Netherlands

Anonieme Gokkers Omgeving Gokkers
Helpline: 0900-2177721

• Germany

Gluecksspielsucht Problem Gambling
Hotline: 0800 0776611

• Finland

Peluuri
Helpline: 00 358 (0) 800 100 101

• Norway

Hjelpelinjen
Helpline: 800 800 40

• Sweden

Stodlinjen
Helpline: 0046 20819100

• New Zealand

Gambling Helpline
Helpline: 0800 654 655

• South Africa

National Responsible Gambling
Helpline: 0800 006 008 

• China

Chinese Gambling Concern Inc.
Helpline: 1800 881 663

• Denmark

Danish Gambling Authority

• Greece

Therapy Centre for Dependent Individuals
Helpline: 210 9241993 – 6

• France

Adictel Prevention Addiction
Email: [email protected]

• Austria

Spielsuchthilfe
Helpline: 01-544 13 57

• Belgium

Gok Hulp
Helpline: 0800 35 777

• Poland

Gamblers Anonymous - Poland

• Czech Republic

National Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Addiction
Helpline: 00420800350000

• Estonia

Hasartmängusõltuvuse Nõustamiskeskus
Helpline: 15410
Email: [email protected]

• Croatia

Helpline: 00385 91 754 35 34

• Hungary

Helpline: 0036 1 299 4000