Keeping play under control: help, signs and tools
Gambling should stay a paid form of entertainment, never a way to fix money worries. The essentials in brief:
- Help in Australia is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day.
- Deposit limits cap what goes into an account.
- Self-exclusion on one offshore site covers that brand only.
- Bank-level blocks and device filters work everywhere at once.
Getting help in Australia
National Gambling Helpline
The National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 is free and confidential, and it answers 24 hours a day. Having the number saved in your phone makes the first call easier at a difficult moment.
When to make the call
Call when any warning sign rings true, and when you simply feel unsure. You do not need to wait for a crisis, and a short conversation can help you decide on a next step.
Our role
We provide information so that you can make clear choices about your play. Limits and exclusions are applied to an account by the gambling site where you play, so we encourage you to use those tools at the first moment you think they might help. Our own part is to explain how the tools work, to keep the message about budgets and breaks plain, and to point you to people who can talk with you directly.
Warning signs of a problem
Common signs of a problem, each paired with a sensible first step.
Warning sign | First step |
Playing to win back money you have lost | Stop for the session and do not chase losses |
Spending more than you planned for a session | Decide on a spending figure before the first spin |
Gambling crowding out sleep, work or family time | Take a break and talk to someone you trust |
Feeling anxious or irritable when you are not playing | Speak to a helpline counsellor |
Control tools
Deposit limits
Deposit limits are one of the limit-setting features, and they cap how much you can add to your account. Choose a figure you could comfortably lose before the first deposit, because a limit set in a calm moment protects you in a heated one.
Self-exclusion
Self-exclusion shuts you out of casinos and online gaming sites. An exclusion on one offshore site works for that brand only, so sister sites may stay open to you. Bank-level gambling blocks and device filters are the measures that apply everywhere at once, which makes them a strong partner for any exclusion you set.
Staying in control
Picture a night out with a fixed amount in your pocket: when it is spent, the evening ends and nobody feels worse for it. Play works best the same way, and these habits keep gambling in its place as entertainment.
- Treat the money you play with as the price of an evening's fun, never as income.
- Stop when the session no longer feels enjoyable.
- Let gambling be one small part of a full week, alongside friends, hobbies and rest.