Responsible Gambling

Start with a pre-play self-check

Scenario: You are about to open a gambling account or start a session. You have had a difficult day, need money for an upcoming bill, or feel determined to win back an earlier loss.

Pause before depositing or playing. Ask yourself:

• Am I using money that I can genuinely afford to lose?
• Have essential bills, food, rent or mortgage payments and other commitments already been covered?
• Do I feel calm enough to accept a loss without trying to recover it?
• Am I playing for entertainment, rather than to solve a financial, emotional or relationship problem?
• Have I decided when I will stop, regardless of whether I am winning or losing?
• Can I explain my limits to someone I trust and keep to them?
• Would I still choose to play if no bonus or promotional offer were available?

If any answer concerns you, delay the session. A delay is a practical safety measure, not a failure. Use the time to review your finances, speak with someone you trust or seek qualified local support.

Set a money limit that protects essentials

Choose a gambling budget before you play. It should come from discretionary money after necessary living costs and obligations, not from rent, bills, credit repayments, savings earmarked for an important purpose or money borrowed from another person.

Set a clear limit for a day, week or month, and treat it as the maximum amount you are prepared to lose during that period. Do not increase it during a session. Consider separating gambling funds from household money so that an impulsive decision cannot affect essentials.

A limit is only useful if it is specific. “I will be careful” is difficult to follow; “I will spend no more than this amount and stop when it is gone” is easier to check. Keep a simple record of deposits, withdrawals and time spent. Include losses, wins and any associated costs. Reviewing the full picture can reveal patterns that are easy to miss one session at a time.

Never borrow to gamble, use money intended for someone else, or sell belongings to continue playing. Avoid relying on credit or other payment arrangements that make spending feel less immediate. If a loss would affect your ability to meet basic commitments, do not play.

Set a time limit before the first bet

Scenario: You intended to play for 20 minutes but remain online hours later because you are waiting for a turnaround.

Time can disappear when play is fast, repetitive or interrupted by offers. Decide when the session will end before it begins. Use an alarm, calendar reminder or another independent prompt, and stop when it sounds. Take regular breaks away from the screen, particularly during long events or sessions.

Do not combine gambling with tiredness, alcohol or other substances. Reduced judgement can make it harder to notice spending, follow a stop time or respond sensibly to a loss. Keep devices out of the bedroom if late-night play is a problem, and avoid gambling when you are rushing, distressed or distracted.

Recognise and interrupt chasing losses

Scenario: You lose more than planned and think, “One larger bet will put me back where I started.”

Chasing losses means continuing or increasing gambling to recover money already lost. It can turn a defined entertainment expense into escalating financial harm. A loss is not a debt that gambling can reliably repay, and changing the stake does not change the underlying risk.

Use a firm rule: when your money limit is reached, the session ends. Do not make an extra deposit, raise the stake or switch to another form of gambling to chase the result. Log out, move away from the device and contact a trusted person if you feel an urge to continue. If you have already exceeded a limit, treat that as a signal to stop and review your arrangements, not as a reason to gamble more.

Notice emotional play

Gambling can become a response to boredom, loneliness, stress, anger, grief or low mood. It may provide a short distraction, but it does not resolve the underlying problem and can add financial or relationship pressure.

Before playing, name the feeling and choose another action first: go for a walk, eat, sleep, exercise, speak with a friend, do a practical task or use a support service. If you are gambling after an argument, during a period of significant stress or to change how you feel, postpone the decision. A clear head makes it easier to choose safely.

Warning signs that deserve action

No single sign proves that someone has a gambling disorder, and you do not need a label before taking protective steps. Warning signs can include:

• spending more time or money than intended;
• repeatedly trying to cut back without managing to do so;
• hiding gambling, deposits or losses from people close to you;
• feeling restless or preoccupied when not gambling;
• borrowing, using credit or selling items to fund play;
• missing work, study, family time or sleep;
• neglecting bills or other responsibilities;
• gambling mainly to escape difficult feelings;
• chasing losses or increasing stakes to create excitement;
• continuing despite conflict, financial strain or regret; and
• treating wins as available income rather than occasional results.

One or more of these signs is a reason to pause, strengthen restrictions and speak with a qualified local support service. Shame often keeps problems hidden; honest action is more useful than self-criticism.

Treat bonuses as conditions, not free money

Scenario: A promotion appears to offer extra funds, but it requires a deposit, minimum play or wagering before anything can be withdrawn.

A bonus can increase pressure to play and may have conditions involving eligible games, minimum stakes, expiry periods, deposits, withdrawals or wagering requirements. Read the complete terms before accepting an offer. If the conditions are unclear, do not opt in.

A bonus is not a reason to increase your budget, play for longer or accept a risk you would otherwise avoid. Count any required deposit as real spending. Set your limits independently of promotions, and decline or ignore marketing that makes you feel rushed. Check whether promotional communications can be reduced through the relevant account or device settings, without assuming that doing so replaces other protections.

Use breaks, time-outs and stronger account restrictions

Different protective measures serve different purposes:

• A cooling-off period is a short break used to create distance after a session, decision or emotional trigger.
• A time-out is a longer temporary pause from gambling.
• Self-exclusion is a formal request to prevent or restrict access for a chosen period, where the relevant operator or local scheme provides that option.
• Account closure ends an account, but it may not by itself prevent a person from opening another account elsewhere.

If you decide to stop, choose the strongest practical restriction available through the relevant gambling service or local programme. Read the conditions carefully, including duration, reactivation rules and whether the restriction applies across more than one service. Do not rely on willpower alone. Casino Mate does not operate these controls and cannot apply them to an account.

Add payment and device barriers

Make impulsive play harder by removing convenience. Delete saved payment details where possible, lower relevant banking limits, block gambling transactions if your financial provider offers that setting, and avoid keeping accessible funds on a gambling account. Ask a trusted person to help with budgeting if you cannot manage payment access safely yourself.

Use device-level tools such as website blocking, app restrictions, screen-time limits and notification controls where available. Keep passwords private and do not use another person’s account. These measures are useful barriers, but they are not guarantees and should be combined with a money plan, time limits and support.

Protect children and other young people

Only people who meet the legal gambling age applicable in their location should gamble. Protect minors by keeping gambling accounts, payment details and devices secure. Use separate passwords, lock screens and appropriate parental or family controls. Do not ask a child or underage person to place a bet, collect winnings or manage an account for you.

Explain that gambling is not a way to earn pocket money or solve financial problems. Be careful with gambling-related conversations, images and games around children, and pay attention if a young person appears curious about using an adult’s account or payment method.

If control slips, act immediately

Scenario: You have exceeded your budget, hidden a deposit or continued after deciding to stop.

Take these steps now:

1. Stop gambling and make no further deposit.
2. Leave the gambling site or app and move away from the device.
3. Secure payment access and remove saved payment details where possible.
4. Tell a trusted person exactly what has happened.
5. Write down the amount spent, any urgent bills affected and the next practical financial step.
6. Use available cooling-off, time-out, self-exclusion or account-closure processes through the relevant service.
7. Arrange support from a qualified local gambling, financial or mental-health professional.

If gambling is connected with thoughts of harming yourself, an immediate safety concern or an inability to stay safe, contact emergency services or an urgent crisis service available in your location. For ongoing gambling concerns, seek a qualified local support service, such as a recognised gambling counsellor, health professional or financial counsellor. They can help assess your situation and plan safer next steps without judgement.

Stop-now checklist

Stop gambling now and do not make another deposit if:

• you have reached or exceeded your money limit;
• you are chasing a loss;
• you are gambling with borrowed, essential or household money;
• you feel angry, distressed, intoxicated, exhausted or unable to think clearly;
• you have hidden gambling or payments from someone close to you;
• you are missing bills, work, study, sleep or relationships because of play;
• you are increasing stakes to recover money or feel excitement; or
• you have tried to stop but cannot reliably do so.

Log out, block access, secure your money and tell someone. Then seek qualified local support. Taking action early can protect your finances, health and relationships before the consequences become more serious.