Gambling is entertainment. When it stops feeling that way, the behaviour may have shifted into something harmful. The following signs are commonly associated with problem gambling - if several apply to you, seeking support is the appropriate next step.

• Spending more money or time gambling than you planned or can afford.
• Chasing losses - continuing to play in order to recover money already lost.
• Gambling interfering with work, study, family responsibilities, or sleep.
• Lying to others about how much you gamble or how much you have lost.
• Borrowing money, selling possessions, or neglecting bills to fund gambling.
• Feeling anxious, irritable, or low when not gambling.
• Repeated unsuccessful attempts to cut down or stop.

Self-assessment tools are available free of charge from the organisations listed below. These are confidential and take only a few minutes to complete.

Most licensed online casinos are required to offer responsible-gambling controls directly in the account settings. These tools are free to use and take effect promptly, sometimes within 24 hours for exclusions.

Deposit, Loss, and Wager Limits

You can set daily, weekly, or monthly caps on how much you deposit or lose. Once set, a limit cannot be increased immediately, operators typically impose a cooling-off period (often 24 to 72 hours) before any upward change takes effect. Reductions apply straight away.

Reality Checks and Session Timers

Many platforms let you configure on-screen reminders at fixed intervals, showing how long you have been playing and your net position. Enabling these at the start of a session is a practical way to stay aware of time spent.

Self-Exclusion Schemes

Self-exclusion allows you to block access to one casino or to multiple operators simultaneously through national multi-operator schemes. In the United Kingdom, GamStop (gamstop.co.uk) covers all UK-licensed sites. Other national schemes include OASIS (Germany), CRUKS (Netherlands), Spelpaus (Sweden), and Jogador Seguro (Portugal). Self-exclusion periods typically range from six months to five years, and in many jurisdictions a permanent option exists. Attempting to circumvent a self-exclusion by registering under different details may breach platform terms and local law.

If you are unsure which scheme applies in your country, the organisations in the section below can advise.

The following organisations provide free, confidential support. Contact details are current at time of publication, verify current phone numbers and hours on each organisation's official website.

If you are in immediate distress, contact a general crisis line in your country. Gambling harm can affect mental health seriously, and general crisis services will not turn you away because the cause is gambling-related.

Players under 18 years of age are not permitted to gamble on any platform listed on this site. Parental-control software, such as Gamban, Net Nanny, or Betblocker (betblocker.org, free of charge), can block access to gambling sites on shared devices.