Responsible gambling: stay in control

You do not need to wait for a crisis or a diagnosis before taking a break. Spending more time or money than intended is enough reason to use a limit, close an account or speak with a counsellor. The earlier the action, the more options remain available.

Free 24/7 support: Gambling Help Online or 1800 858 858. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000. For crisis support, Lifeline is available on 13 11 14.

Warning signs of gambling harm

Harm is not defined by one particular dollar amount. A loss that is manageable for one household can threaten rent or food in another. The important question is whether gambling is affecting control, finances, health, work or relationships.

Warning signs include:

• spending more money or time than planned;
• trying to win back losses by continuing, increasing stakes or depositing again;
• thinking frequently about the next session or how to obtain gambling money;
• feeling restless, irritable or distressed when trying to cut down;
• using gambling to escape anxiety, low mood, loneliness or other problems;
• hiding activity, deleting evidence or being dishonest about losses;
• borrowing, using credit or selling possessions to gamble;
• leaving bills unpaid or relying on others after a loss;
• missing work, study, sleep or important events; and
• repeated unsuccessful attempts to stop.

One sign does not define a person, but it is worth taking seriously. Healthdirect notes that gambling harm can affect finances, work, mental health and relationships and may be associated with suicidal thoughts. Support is appropriate whether the concern is recent or longstanding.

What to do today if gambling feels out of control

Start by adding distance between the urge and access to money. Log out, close the game, cancel pending marketing messages and do not make a recovery deposit. A previous loss does not improve the odds of the next spin.

Then take practical steps:

1. Tell one trusted person. Secrecy makes it easier for the cycle to continue. Ask them to stay with you while accounts are closed or limits are set.
2. Contact Gambling Help Online. Call 1800 858 858 or use online chat for free, confidential support at any time.
3. Secure essential money. Pay urgent bills, move savings away from everyday gambling access and ask the bank what gambling blocks or card controls are available.
4. Close or exclude from every account. Do not leave a second casino available as a workaround.
5. Remove prompts. Unsubscribe from emails and texts, unfollow gambling accounts and remove apps, bookmarks and saved payment details.
6. Get financial help early. The National Debt Helpline provides free financial counselling on 1800 007 007.

If distress is severe or you are having thoughts of suicide, call 000 when life is in immediate danger. Lifeline offers crisis support 24/7 on 13 11 14, by text on 0477 13 11 14 and through online chat.

Set limits before the first bet

A responsible limit is decided while calm, not after a loss or a big win. Start with money: gambling should come only from a discretionary entertainment amount left after housing, food, utilities, transport, debt payments and savings. Borrowed money and credit are not a gambling budget.

Use the account tools together where possible:

• Deposit limit: caps the amount added over a day, week or month.
• Loss limit: caps net losses rather than deposits alone.
• Wager limit: restricts total betting turnover, which matters when the same balance is recycled.
• Session or time limit: sets an endpoint before fatigue affects decisions.
• Reality check: displays elapsed time and spending during play.
• Cooling-off period: temporarily prevents access or gambling.
• Self-exclusion: closes access for a longer fixed period or permanently.

Do not raise a limit to continue the current session. A well-designed system may delay an increase while allowing a decrease immediately. If an offshore operator makes limits hard to find or easy to reverse, treat that as a safety warning and close the account.

A timer outside the casino is useful because it cannot disappear behind a game window. Plan the stopping time, set an alarm and leave when it sounds whether the balance is ahead or behind.

Understand the mechanics that encourage longer play

Pokies use random outcomes. A run of losses does not mean the game is due to pay, and a recent win does not create a safer balance. RTP is calculated over a very large number of bets and cannot predict a short session.

High volatility can produce long gaps between meaningful wins. Bonus meters, near-miss displays, celebratory sounds and rapid play can make progress feel more controllable than it is. A feature buy compresses many ordinary bets into one expensive decision; it does not remove the house edge.

Bonuses can also prolong play through wagering requirements. If completing the requirement would exceed the original budget or planned time, let the bonus expire. A promotional balance is not worth turning an affordable session into a financial problem.

Self-exclusion from Australian wagering providers

BetStop is the National Self-Exclusion Register for online and phone wagering providers licensed in Australia. Registration is free and can run from three months to a lifetime. Covered providers must not allow a registered person to place bets or open an account, and they must stop direct marketing.

BetStop is important, but its scope must be understood correctly. It covers licensed Australian wagering services; BetStop states that it does not apply to online casino games or other gambling services illegally provided in Australia. Registering with BetStop will therefore not automatically close every offshore casino account.

For an offshore casino, use the operator’s own self-exclusion or permanent account-closure process as well. Write clearly that the request is for self-exclusion due to gambling harm, ask for marketing to stop and retain the confirmation. Repeat the process for every account and ask payment providers about blocks that can reduce the chance of opening another route.

If a licensed wagering provider ignores a valid BetStop exclusion, keep the evidence and follow the official complaint route. If an illegal online casino continues serving Australians, a complaint can be made to ACMA, although Australian authorities may not be able to recover money held offshore.

Get control of debts and payment access

Do not use another loan, cash advance or crypto purchase to repair a gambling loss. Moving the debt can make the immediate balance look different while increasing fees and pressure.

List essential bills, current debts, minimum repayments and available income. Contact creditors early if a payment will be missed. A free financial counsellor can help explain options and speak with creditors; the National Debt Helpline is available on 1800 007 007 on weekdays and provides online resources and chat.

Ask the bank or card issuer whether it offers gambling merchant blocks, transaction limits, cash-advance restrictions or reduced transfer limits. Controls vary and are not complete protection, especially when an operator uses unusual merchant descriptions or crypto. Combine financial controls with account closure and support.

Avoid handing complete financial control to an untrusted person. If a partner or family member helps manage access, agree on the arrangement openly and seek professional advice where debt, coercion or family safety is involved.

Supporting someone else

Choose a calm time and describe what you have observed without accusing or arguing about whether the person “has a problem”. Specific language is more useful: unpaid bills, repeated borrowing, overnight play or distress after losses.

Listen, encourage professional support and offer to sit with them while they call the helpline, set limits or close accounts. Do not lend money for gambling or repeatedly repay gambling debts without advice; that can unintentionally keep the cycle going.

Protect your own finances and wellbeing. Separate essential funds where appropriate, change credentials that have been shared without authorisation and seek counselling or financial advice for yourself. Gambling Help Online supports people affected by someone else’s gambling as well as the person who gambles.

If there is violence, coercion, theft or immediate danger, prioritise safety and contact emergency or specialist services rather than confronting the person alone.

Free Australian support

Support does not require a person to have lost a particular amount or to be ready with the perfect words. You can begin by saying that gambling is affecting you and you want help deciding the next step.