Help, limits and self-exclusion

Set limits before the first spin

Decide what you can afford to lose in a week before you open a game, not after. A deposit limit caps what goes into your account over a set period, and a session reminder or time limit gives you a point to stop rather than a decision to make mid-session. Our partner's cashier and account settings are where these are set; look for them before you deposit rather than afterwards.

A limit is only useful if it is low enough to matter. Pick an amount you would be comfortable losing outright, and a session length that fits around work, sleep and other people. If you find yourself changing a limit upwards soon after setting it, that is worth noticing and worth talking about with someone.

What chasing losses tends to look like

Chasing losses is the habit of increasing stakes or playing longer to recover money already gone. It rarely feels dramatic at the time: it often looks like one more deposit, a bigger bet than usual, or a session that runs well past the point you planned to stop. The money already lost is gone; a game does not owe it back, and no pattern of play changes the long-run average return of a pokie.

Other warning signs include playing to feel better after a bad day, borrowing or selling things to fund play, hiding it from people close to you, and lying about how much time or money is involved. None of these make someone a bad person. They are reasons to stop and to use the support that exists.

Where to get help in Australia

Gambling Help Online offers free and confidential counselling and information for people who gamble and for those around them, and it can point you to local services. BetStop is the national self-exclusion register: joining it blocks you from gambling with licensed operators for the period you choose, and it covers online and phone betting accounts. It requires your identity to be verified, so have identification ready when you sign up.

Self-exclusion through BetStop is separate from any limit you set inside an account, and the two are worth using together. If money is already tight, a free financial counsellor can help with debts and payment arrangements. If you are in immediate distress, contact emergency services. Gambling is an adult activity, and this site is written for adults.

Can I set a deposit limit after I have already opened an account?

Yes. Deposit limits and session time limits are set through the account settings or cashier area of an operator's site, not only at sign-up. Increases usually take effect after a delay, which is deliberate.

What is the difference between BetStop and a limit on my account?

BetStop is a national self-exclusion register that blocks you from licensed operators for the period you choose. An account limit only applies to that one operator, so self-exclusion covers ground a limit does not.