Responsible gambling: the limits, the registers and the signs to watch for

The tools

• Deposit limits. Daily, weekly or monthly caps set by you. Lowering one applies at once; raising one takes 24 hours to a week depending on the licence, so the decision is made by a calmer version of you.
• Loss and stake limits. Offered on some licences; less common than deposit limits and just as useful.
• Session limits and reality checks. A clock on screen, and a forced pause after a set time; mostly relevant to live betting and casino play.
• Time-outs. A break of a day to six weeks, during which the account is locked but not closed.
• Self-exclusion. Six months to permanent, per operator or nationally; irreversible for the period chosen.

National registers

Regulated markets run a single register that every licensed operator must check at registration and login. One request excludes you from all of them: GAMSTOP in the United Kingdom, the RUA in Italy, OASIS in Germany, the RGIAJ in Spain, Spelpaus in Sweden, ROFUS in Denmark, CRUKS in the Netherlands, BetStop in Australia, the ANJ register in France. Registration takes minutes online; removal, where possible at all, takes a waiting period and a request in writing. The registers do not cover unlicensed sites, which is one more reason to bet only on licensed ones.

The signs

Three questions separate a hobby from a problem. Do you bet to recover losses? Do you bet money that was needed for something else? Do you hide the amount or the time from people close to you? A yes to any of them is a reason to set limits today; a yes to all three is a reason to self-exclude and to talk to someone. Betting more than planned, betting to feel normal, and irritation when unable to bet are the clinical markers; they arrive gradually, which is why the limits should be set before they are needed.

Where to get help

Free, confidential helplines exist in every regulated market, staffed by people who have heard it all: GamCare and the National Gambling Helpline in the UK, the Telefono Verde in Italy, the BZgA line in Germany, FEJAR in Spain, Stödlinjen in Sweden, the National Council on Problem Gambling in the United States, Gambling Help Online in Australia, and Gamblers Anonymous almost everywhere. Operators list the local number in the footer; so does our about page.

For families

Most registers allow a third party to report concern; some allow a family member to request a block on gambling transactions through the bank. Banks in the UK, Australia and several European countries offer a gambling block on cards that takes minutes to enable and 48 hours to remove.