Safer gambling

Gambling should stay a game

A slot like Sweet Bonanza Xmas 2500 is designed to be entertaining, and for most people it is. It is not a way to make money, to pay off a debt or to cheer yourself up after a bad day. The outcome of every spin is random, the house keeps an edge over time, and the bright colours and big multipliers can make it easy to lose track of what you have spent. This page sets out the tools and the support that are available in the UK if you want to stay in control or if things have already gone too far.

Only for adults

You must be 18 or over to gamble in Great Britain. Licensed casinos check your age and identity before you can play, and they are not allowed to let you gamble until those checks are done. If you share a phone, tablet or computer with children, keep your casino logins private and use the parental controls built into the device.

Set your limits first

Decide how much you can afford to lose before you open a game, not halfway through a session. Every operator licensed by the Gambling Commission has to give you tools to stick to that decision:

• deposit limits by day, week or month, which take effect straight away when you lower them;
• reality checks that remind you how long you have been playing;
• time-outs that lock your account for a short break, from a day to several weeks;
• a full account history so you can see exactly what you have deposited and lost.

The online slot stake limits also apply automatically: no more than £5 a spin if you are 25 or older and £2 a spin if you are 18 to 24.

When play stops being fun

It may be time to stop and talk to someone if any of these sound familiar:

• you chase losses, telling yourself the next session will win it back;
• you play for longer or with more money than you meant to;
• you borrow money, use credit or skip bills to keep gambling;
• you hide how much you play from family, friends or a partner;
• you feel anxious, irritable or low when you are not gambling;
• gambling gets in the way of work, study, sleep or relationships.

Self-exclusion with GAMSTOP

GAMSTOP is the free national self-exclusion scheme. Register once at gamstop.co.uk and you are blocked from every online casino and betting site licensed in Great Britain for six months, one year or five years. The exclusion cannot be cancelled early. You can add blocking software to your devices for extra protection, and your bank may let you block gambling transactions from its app.

Habits that help

The tools work best alongside a few simple habits. Decide on a time and a money limit before you start and stop at whichever comes first. Set an alarm on your phone, because tumbling slots make time pass quickly. Don't play when you are tired, upset or have been drinking, and take a cash win out rather than treating it as a bigger stake for the next spin.

Free, confidential help

You do not have to deal with this alone, and help costs nothing:

• National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare: call 0808 8020 133, any time of day or night, or use the live chat at gamcare.org.uk.
• NHS gambling services: specialist clinics across England offer treatment for people with serious gambling problems and for those affected by someone else's gambling. Your GP can also refer you.
• Gamblers Anonymous: free peer support meetings around the country and online, listed at gamblersanonymous.org.uk.

If gambling is affecting someone close to you, the same services support family members and friends. Talking to someone you trust is often the hardest step, and also the one that makes the biggest difference.