Responsible Gambling

Online gambling should be an enjoyable form of entertainment. For the vast majority of Australians who play casino games, it stays exactly that. For a smaller group, gambling can stop being fun and start causing financial, emotional or relationship harm. This page explains how to recognise the warning signs, the tools you can use to stay in control, and where to get help if you need it.

If you are experiencing a gambling crisis right now, call Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858. Calls are free, confidential and available 24 hours a day.

Recognising Problem Gambling

Problem gambling rarely happens overnight. The early warning signs usually build up gradually, and it’s often easier for friends and family to notice them than for the person involved. Watch for any of the following:

  • Spending more time or money on gambling than you originally intended
  • Chasing losses – depositing again to try to recover money you’ve already lost
  • Hiding gambling activity, the amount you’ve deposited, or losses from family and friends
  • Gambling with money meant for rent, bills, groceries or savings
  • Borrowing money or selling possessions to fund gambling
  • Feeling anxious, irritable or depressed when you can’t gamble
  • Gambling to escape stress, low mood or other emotional difficulties
  • Neglecting work, study, family, hobbies or social commitments
  • Lying about how much time or money is spent on gambling
  • Continuing to gamble despite knowing it’s causing harm

If any of the above resonates with you or someone you care about, professional support is available and effective. The earlier the conversation happens, the easier the path back tends to be.

Tools to Stay in Control

Every reputable online casino offers a range of responsible gambling tools. These tools are built into the player account interface and can be activated in seconds. Using them proactively – before a problem develops – is the most effective way to keep your gambling within healthy limits.

Deposit Limits

Deposit limits cap the total amount you can transfer into your casino account over a defined period (daily, weekly or monthly). Once you reach the limit, the cashier blocks any further deposits until the period resets. Set a deposit limit that reflects what you can genuinely afford to lose – not what you hope to win.

If you choose to reduce a limit, the change takes effect immediately. If you choose to increase one, most reputable casinos apply a 24 to 72 hour cooling-off period before the new limit becomes active. That deliberate friction is there to protect you from impulsive decisions during a session.

Loss Limits

Loss limits set a ceiling on how much you can lose over a chosen period. They work independently of deposit limits and are particularly useful for high-volatility games where winnings can quickly turn into losses. Once the loss limit is hit, the system prevents further play until the period resets.

Session Time Limits and Reality Checks

Session timers send you a notification or log you out automatically after a set amount of play time. Reality-check pop-ups display your net profit or loss at chosen intervals (typically every 30 or 60 minutes), giving you an objective view of how a session is actually going.

Time slips by faster during a session than people realise. A reality check is the single most underused tool in any online casino interface.

Time-Out (Cool-Off) Periods

A time-out lets you take a temporary break from a single casino – typically from 24 hours up to six weeks. During the time-out you cannot deposit, place wagers or claim bonuses. Use a time-out when you feel a session is becoming compulsive or when you want a deliberate pause to reassess.

Self-Exclusion

Self-exclusion is a longer-term measure than a time-out, typically lasting six months, one year, five years or permanently. Once you self-exclude from a casino, the operator is obligated to close your account, return your remaining balance, stop sending you marketing communications and prevent you from opening a new account under your name.

Self-exclusion at one operator does not automatically apply to other casinos. To apply a broader block, use a national tool like BetStop (below) or an account-blocking software solution.

National Self-Exclusion: BetStop

BetStop is Australia’s National Self-Exclusion Register, operated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). Registering with BetStop blocks you from opening new accounts and using existing accounts with all licensed Australian betting and wagering operators. Registration is free, can be completed online in a few minutes, and lets you set an exclusion period between three months and a lifetime ban.

Important to know: BetStop covers Australian-licensed operators (primarily sports betting and wagering brands such as Sportsbet, TAB and Ladbrokes). Offshore online casino sites operating outside Australian licensing are not bound by BetStop. To self-exclude from an offshore casino, use that operator’s own self-exclusion tool, available in the responsible gambling section of your account.

Account-Blocking Software

If you want to block access to gambling sites entirely at the device level – including offshore operators that BetStop does not cover – consider installing one of these third-party tools:

  • Gamban – cross-device blocker for desktop and mobile
  • BetBlocker – free open-source blocker covering thousands of gambling sites
  • GAMSTOP – covers UK-licensed sites; useful if you also access UK-facing brands

These tools can be installed in minutes and run quietly in the background. Combined with operator-level self-exclusion and BetStop, they form a strong multi-layer barrier.

Tips for Staying in Control

The single biggest predictor of healthy gambling habits is whether you set rules before you start playing – not after. The following are worth treating as fixed personal rules:

  • Set a session budget before you log in, not after you’ve started losing. Make it the maximum you can afford to lose and walk away from, full stop.
  • Treat gambling as entertainment spending – the cost of an evening’s play, not an investment or a path to income.
  • Never chase losses. Once your session budget is gone, it’s gone. Doubling up to win it back is the most reliable way to lose far more.
  • Set time limits. Use session timers or the alarm on your phone. Long sessions blur judgement.
  • Don’t gamble under the influence of alcohol, drugs or strong emotions (anger, anxiety, stress). Decision-making is impaired and risks rise sharply.
  • Take regular breaks. Step away every 30 to 60 minutes. Get a drink, stretch, look at something else. A short pause reframes the session.
  • Keep gambling separate from essential finances. Use a dedicated debit card or prepaid voucher loaded only with your session budget.
  • Talk about it. If you’re thinking about your gambling more than you’re thinking about anything else, that’s a signal worth talking through with someone you trust.

Protecting Minors

Online gambling is restricted to adults aged 18 and over. If you share devices with a child or teenager, take steps to make sure your casino accounts are not accessible:

  • Log out of casino accounts after every session – do not save passwords in the browser
  • Use a separate user account on shared devices with its own password
  • Install parental control software on phones, tablets and laptops used by minors (Apple Screen Time, Google Family Link, Microsoft Family Safety)
  • Keep payment methods, bank cards and prepaid vouchers physically out of reach
  • Have age-appropriate conversations about gambling risks with teenagers in your household

Support Services in Australia

Free, confidential help is available 24/7 from professional services across Australia. You don’t need to be in crisis to call – reaching out early is usually easier and more effective.

  • Gambling Help Online – 1800 858 858. National 24/7 free counselling, phone and online chat, in multiple languages.
  • Lifeline Australia – 13 11 14. 24/7 crisis support for anyone in emotional distress.
  • Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636. Mental health support, available 24/7 by phone and online chat.
  • Gamblers Anonymous Australia – peer-support meetings in major cities and online at gaaustralia.org.au.
  • Financial Counselling Australia – 1800 007 007. Free, independent help with debt and money problems caused by gambling.
  • Relationships Australia – 1300 364 277. Support for relationship strain caused by gambling.

If you live outside Australia and need support, the equivalent services in your region include:

A Final Word

Reaching out for help – whether for yourself, a partner, a family member or a friend – takes courage. None of the services listed above will judge you, and none of them require you to have hit rock bottom before you call. The earlier the conversation happens, the easier the path forward.

If you are in crisis right now, call 1800 858 858 (Gambling Help Online) or 13 11 14 (Lifeline). Both are free, confidential and available 24 hours a day.