Responsible gambling: signs, support and protections
Available in GBGambling is not a way to earn money or a solution to money problems. If you are gambling to cover bills, repay borrowing or recover losses, stop and deal with the money problem separately. Chasing losses can increase the amount you lose.
Signs gambling may be becoming a problem
Look for changes in what you do, not just how you feel. Warning signs include:
- spending more than you planned, or continuing after deciding to stop;
- gambling with money needed for rent, bills, food or other essentials;
- borrowing, selling possessions or using credit to fund gambling;
- returning to gamble soon after a loss to try to win it back;
- hiding gambling, losses or transactions from people close to you;
- missing work, study, sleep or time with others because of gambling;
- feeling unable to stop, or becoming distressed when you try.
One sign can be enough to take action. You do not need to wait until debts or relationships are seriously affected.
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Take action now
If you are gambling at the moment, end the session and log out. Do not deposit more money or try to recover a loss. Open your account’s responsible gambling settings and use the available limit controls. You can ask the operator to apply self-exclusion; UKGC-licensed casinos must provide this tool. If you cannot find the controls, contact the operator through the account or website and ask how to set a limit or exclude yourself.
Tell someone you trust what is happening and ask them to stay with you while you take these steps. If there is an immediate risk to your safety, contact emergency services.
Tools and protections in Britain
Remote gambling operators must prompt new customers to set a financial limit before their first deposit and provide accessible account-level limit controls. Use these controls before gambling, and lower a limit or stop if your spending is becoming difficult to manage.
UKGC-licensed casinos must provide responsible gambling tools, including self-exclusion. Operators must verify a customer’s age before allowing them to deposit into a gambling account. Gambling is for adults; do not gamble if you are under the legal age.
Some rules also limit how online slots work. Autoplay is banned in Britain, and a slot spin must last at least 2.5 seconds. For an online slots game, the total stake in a game cycle must not exceed £2 if you are under 25, or £5 if you are 25 or older. At least 2.5 seconds must pass from the start of one game cycle before the next can begin. These limits do not make gambling safe or remove the risk of losing money.
Remote gambling operators cannot accept credit-card payments for gambling, including credit-card funding routed through a money service business. They also cannot accept wallet payments where the wallet allows credit-card funds to be used for gambling. Do not treat these restrictions as a substitute for setting your own boundaries.
Where to turn
Start with the casino or gambling website where you have an account. Use its responsible gambling settings to set limits or request self-exclusion. If you cannot locate the settings, contact its customer support and ask for the responsible gambling team or process.
If you are unhappy with how the operator handles a complaint, make a formal complaint through its internal complaints process. UKGC licensees must offer this and provide access to an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service. Ask the operator how to contact its ADR service and what information you need to submit. A remote-licensed site must show details of its licence and link to its public register licence information.
No independent support organisation or verified contact details are listed on this page. Do not rely on a contact detail unless you have checked it through a reliable source. The immediate steps are to stop gambling, use the account controls and tell someone you trust.
Prepared by the Madslots editorial staff.
