Gambling responsibly: practical habits and where to find help

Gambling is for adults only

Every game on this site is meant for people aged 18 and over, demo versions included. If you share a computer or tablet with children, close the tab when you have finished and keep any casino apps behind a passcode.

Habits that keep play in proportion

Most people who gamble do so without harm, and the ones who stay that way tend to share a few simple habits.

• Decide the amount before you start. Pick a sum you can lose without it affecting bills, rent or food, and stop when it is gone. Never top up mid-session.
• Decide the time too. Set an alarm on your phone. Fast games such as crash, dice or keno can fit a hundred rounds into ten minutes.
• Treat losses as the cost of the entertainment. Not as money to win back. Chasing losses is the single most common way a bad evening becomes a bad month.
• Keep gambling separate from mood. Avoid playing when you are stressed, low, lonely or have been drinking.
• Use the tools available. Most real-money accounts offer deposit limits, session reminders, time-outs and account closure. Set them up on a calm day, not in the middle of a losing run.
• Take breaks. Step away from the screen at least once an hour.

Warning signs to take seriously

It can be hard to notice when gambling has stopped being fun. Ask yourself honestly whether any of these sound familiar:

• spending more money or time than you planned, more and more often;
• needing bigger stakes to feel the same excitement;
• going back the next day to try to win back what you lost;
• borrowing money, selling things or missing payments to gamble;
• hiding your gambling from family or friends, or lying about it;
• feeling irritable or anxious when you try to cut down;
• gambling to escape problems or to cope with a bad mood.

One or two of these from time to time is a signal to slow down. Several of them, regularly, is a reason to talk to someone.

Where to get free, confidential help

In the UK: GamCare runs the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, free and open 24 hours a day. You can also chat online through their website. The service is free and confidential, and you do not need to be in crisis to call.

In France: Joueurs Info Service answers on 09 74 75 13 13 (cost of a local call), with a website and online chat.

If you are worried about someone close to you, these services help family and friends too.

A word on demo play

Free games carry no financial risk, but they are still built to be absorbing. If you find you are spending hours on demos, or that playing for free is pushing you towards wanting to play for real, the same advice applies: set a time limit and take regular breaks. And if a free game ever feels like practice for winning money back, that is worth noticing too; it is one of the warning signs above in a different form.