Responsible gambling
Gambling is entertainment with a price tag. Over time the player loses, because every casino game is designed to return less than it takes in. For most people gambling stays under control, but not for everyone. This page explains how to recognise harm, which limits are worth setting and where to find help. Help is free and can be confidential.
Why the house always has an edge
A game's return to player, or RTP, is a long-run average. A slot with a 96% RTP is expected to pay back around €96 of every €100 staked over a very large number of spins. That still means a loss on average, and over a single session the result can swing far above or below the figure. No strategy, time of day or betting pattern changes the maths of a slot. Understanding this is the most effective protection against chasing losses.
Warning signs
- You bet larger amounts than you planned or keep playing longer than you meant to.
- You try to win back money you have lost by playing more.
- You borrow money or use money set aside for bills to gamble.
- You hide your gambling or its cost from people close to you.
- Gambling cuts into sleep, concentration, work, study or relationships.
- You feel irritable or anxious when you cannot play.
Even one or two of these are a reason to pause and think. You can talk to a support service even if you are not sure whether there is a problem.
Limits worth setting straight away
Some licensing systems require operators to offer deposit limits, loss limits and reality checks; others leave most of it to the operator's discretion. Whatever the site offers by default, you can build your own safeguards:
- Deposit limit: decide the monthly amount you could lose entirely without harm and set it in the account settings.
- Time limit: agree a session length with yourself and use your phone's timer if the site does not remind you.
- Separate budget: do not save on the gambling site the card you use for rent or groceries.
- Breaks: when you hit a limit, stop there. If you need a longer break, read self-exclusion, limits and breaks.
Where to get help
Gambling Therapy is a free, global online service run by the charity Gordon Moody. It offers live chat, forums and support groups in many languages, both for people who gamble and for their families. Gamblers Anonymous is a mutual-help fellowship with meetings in many countries. Its meeting finder helps you locate a group, although it is not a helpline. Many countries also have a national gambling helpline and local health or debt advice services; your national gambling regulator or health service can tell you what is available where you live. If your finances have already suffered, seek advice early. Problems are easier to solve before they grow.
Gambling and money
Gambling is not a way to earn money or to solve financial problems. If you notice that you are playing in the hope of covering bills or debts, that is a strong signal to stop and look for support. Bonuses do not change this. Wagering requirements usually mean that a bonus has to be bet many times over before anything can be withdrawn, which increases the amount you put at risk; see wagering requirements explained.