Responsible gambling

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iGaming Centre is a business directory and news site for the iGaming industry. We are not a gambling operator. We do not take bets, hold player accounts or offer any gambling products.

Some of our pages describe, review or link to licensed operators, games and other gambling content. That content is written for industry professionals.

This site is for adults aged 18 or over. If the legal gambling age where you live is higher, that age applies. If you are under 18, please do not use this site.

What responsible gambling means

Gambling is a paid form of entertainment. It is not a way to make money, and over time most people lose more than they win. Gambling responsibly means staying in control of how much money and time you spend.

• Decide on a budget before you start and only use money you can afford to lose.
• Set a time limit and take regular breaks.
• Do not try to win back money you have lost (chasing losses).
• Do not gamble with borrowed money or money meant for bills.
• Avoid gambling when you are stressed, low, or have been drinking.
• Keep gambling as one activity among many, not the centre of your life.

Warning signs of problem gambling

Gambling harm can build up slowly and can be hard to spot. These questions, based on the NHS self-check, can help you think about your own gambling:

• Do you bet more than you can afford to lose?
• Do you need to gamble with larger amounts to get the same feeling?
• Do you try to win back money you have lost?
• Have you borrowed money or sold things to get money to gamble?
• Have you wondered whether you have a problem with gambling?
• Has gambling caused you stress, anxiety or other health problems?
• Have other people criticised your betting or told you that you have a problem?
• Has gambling caused money problems for you or your household?
• Do you feel guilty about the way you gamble or what happens when you gamble?

If you answered "sometimes" or more often to any of these, gambling may be affecting your life. The organisations listed below can help, and talking to them is free and confidential.

Tools that can help

Licensed online operators usually offer tools to help you stay in control. Look for them in your account settings, or ask customer support.

• Deposit limits: cap how much you can pay in each day, week or month.
• Loss and wagering limits: cap how much you can lose or stake in a set period.
• Time limits and reality checks: set how long you can play, and get reminders showing how long you have played and how much you have won or lost.
• Time-outs: take a short break from your account.
• Self-exclusion: close your account and block yourself from an operator for a set period, or permanently.
• National self-exclusion: in the UK, GamStop blocks you from all online gambling companies licensed in Great Britain for 6 months, 1 year or 5 years. In Malta, you can bar yourself from land-based casinos, gaming parlours and bingo halls through the Malta Gaming Authority.
• Blocking software: apps such as Gamban and BetBlocker block gambling websites and apps on your devices.
• Bank gambling blocks: many banks let you block payments to gambling companies.

Where to get help

All of these services are free and confidential unless stated otherwise. Most also help family and friends of people who gamble. If you are in immediate danger or thinking about harming yourself, call your local emergency number (112 in the EU, 999 in the UK).

Sources

• GamCare: National Gambling Helpline
• GamStop: register
• GamStop: about
• NHS: help for problems with gambling
• Gamblers Anonymous England, Wales and Ulster
• Responsible Gaming Foundation (Malta)
• Malta Gaming Authority: safer gambling
• Gambling Care (Ireland)
• Problem Gambling Ireland
• BIÖG: Check dein Spiel, Telefon-Beratung
• ConnexOntario
• National Council on Problem Gambling: National Problem Gambling Helpline
• Gambling Therapy
• Gamblers Anonymous (International Service Office)

Information checked on 25 September 2026.