Responsible gambling
Warning signs, a self-check you can take in two minutes, the tools that actually limit play, and where to get help. We earn commission from operators. We would still rather you bet less than more.
Warning signs worth taking seriously
- Betting more than you planned, more often than you planned
- Chasing losses with bigger stakes
- Hiding how much you bet from people close to you
- Borrowing money or selling things to keep betting
- Feeling restless or irritable when you cut back
- Betting to escape stress, low mood or boredom
A quick self-check
These ten questions are the NODS (NORC Diagnostic Screen for Gambling Problems), reproduced from the National Council on Problem Gambling. Answering “yes” to any of them is a reason to talk to someone.
Source: National Council on Problem Gambling — Problem Gambling Self-Assessment (opens in a new tab). Questions are reproduced verbatim; WagerBlogs is not affiliated with the National Council on Problem Gambling and this tool does not diagnose.
Tools that actually limit play
Deposit limits
A cap on what you can pay in per day, week or month. Every licensed operator has to offer them, and they take effect immediately. Increases are the ones that wait.
Time-outs
A short break, usually 24 hours to 30 days, set from your account settings. Open bets stand and your balance stays put — you just can't stake again until it lifts.
Self-exclusion
A longer bar, from one year to permanent. At operator level it covers one account; through the state register it covers every licensed site at once.
Blocking software
Blockers that remove gambling sites and apps at the device level. They catch far more than willpower does, but they don't cover a phone you haven't installed them on.
Where to get help
- Gamblingcare.ieIE00 353 1 2469595
- Gamcare.org.ukUK0808 8020 133
- German Federal Ministry of HealthDEgesund.bund.de
- National Problem Gambling HelplineUS1-800-MY-RESET
- Responsible Gambling Council CanadaCA+1 (416) 499-9800
- SpillemyndighedenSE / NO / DK72 38 79 13
Self-exclusion in your state
Most states with legal betting run their own self-exclusion register. Signing up bars you from every licensed operator in that state at once, instead of one account at a time.
The register is run by the state regulator, not by the operators, so you enrol through the regulator directly. Lengths vary: some states let you choose a term, others are permanent and cannot be undone.
If you're worried about someone else
Raising it as an accusation rarely works. What helps more is being specific about what you've noticed, and still being there afterwards. Paying off the debt usually buys time rather than a change.
The organisations in the help directory support families too, not only the person betting. You can call them about someone else.
What we do on our side
- Every page that lists an operator carries a route to this one. No exceptions.
- We don't target promotions at anyone who arrives through responsible-gambling content.
- Everything here is written for readers of legal gambling age, and bonus copy always carries the full terms.
- Commission never changes a score, and no operator can pay to soften this page.