Digital Forerunners is about gaming hardware, but gaming and gambling sometimes meet. A few of our articles mention online casino sites, many games sell loot boxes, and casino games are only a click away on any PC or phone. This page explains how to keep gambling under control, how to recognise when it is becoming a problem and where to find free, confidential help.
We do not offer gambling, and we do not want anyone to gamble more than they can afford. If you choose to play for real money, we want you to do it safely.
Need help now?
Support is free and confidential, and you do not have to deal with it alone. These services are good places to start:
- Worldwide: Gambling Therapy offers free online support and live chat in several languages.
- United States: the National Problem Gambling Helpline, run by the National Council on Problem Gambling: call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738).
- United Kingdom: the National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare: 0808 8020 133 in England and Scotland and 0808 2819 265 in Wales, free and open 24 hours a day.
- Australia: Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858.
- New Zealand: the Gambling Helpline: 0800 654 655, or send a free text to 8006.
If your country is not listed, Gambling Therapy can help you find local services, and your doctor can refer you to support where you live.
What responsible gambling means
Responsible gambling means you stay in control. You decide in advance how much time and money you will spend, you see that money as the cost of entertainment, and you accept that it is gone.
Every casino game has a house edge. Slots, roulette, blackjack and live games are built so that the operator makes money over time, and no system, strategy or bonus changes that. Skill that helps you win in a video game does not help against the odds of a casino game.
When gambling stops being fun, or you play to win back money you have lost, it is time to stop.
Gaming, loot boxes and skins
Some features in video games work in a similar way to gambling. Loot boxes, card packs and other paid random rewards let you spend real money on a chance of getting something rare, and in-game items or skins can sometimes be used to bet on third-party sites. These can create the same habits as gambling, especially for young players. Set a spending limit in your platform account, use parental controls for children’s accounts, and be careful with any site that lets you bet items or skins.
Habits that keep you in control
- Set a deposit limit with the operator before your first deposit, and a loss limit if one is offered.
- Decide how long you will play and use a timer or the operator’s session reminders.
- Keep gambling money separate from money for rent, bills and food.
- Never borrow money to gamble.
- Do not chase losses with bigger bets or longer sessions.
- Turn off promotional emails and notifications from gambling sites.
- Read the terms before you accept a bonus: wagering requirements can keep you playing longer than you planned.
- Avoid gambling when you are tired, stressed, upset or have been drinking.
- Take regular breaks, and use the time-out or self-exclusion options if you need a longer pause.
Warning signs of gambling harm
Gambling problems often build up slowly and can be hard to notice, both for the person who gambles and for the people around them. Signs to look out for include:
- spending more money or time on gambling than you planned
- gambling again to win back what you have lost
- borrowing money, or using money meant for something else, to gamble
- hiding how much you gamble or what you have spent
- gambling whenever you are bored, stressed or alone
- gambling getting in the way of work, study, sleep, money or relationships
- feeling guilty, anxious or ashamed about gambling
Even one of these signs can mean gambling is starting to cause harm. Noticing it is a good reason to talk to someone, and getting help early usually makes the biggest difference.
Check your gambling
If you are unsure whether gambling has become a problem, read the warning signs again and be honest with yourself about each one. Your transaction history with the operator and your bank statements show what you have actually spent, which is often more than it feels like. For a second opinion, call or message one of the helplines listed above. The conversation is confidential, and you can stay anonymous.
Ways to get help
- Helplines: free support by phone, text or chat, listed by country at the top of this page. Advisers can also connect you with free counselling near you.
- Self-help groups: Gamblers Anonymous holds free meetings for people who want to stop gambling, in many countries and online.
- Self-exclusion: licensed operators let you set limits, take a time-out or exclude yourself completely. Some countries also have national schemes that block you from all licensed operators at once, such as GAMSTOP in the United Kingdom and BetStop for online wagering in Australia.
- Blocking tools: gambling-blocking software and your device’s parental or screen-time settings can make it harder to reach gambling sites.
- Your doctor can offer support and refer you to specialist help.
For family and friends
When someone gambles too much, the people close to them are affected too: partners, children, parents and friends. Feeling worried, frustrated or powerless is normal, and you can get support for yourself. Most of the helplines above talk to family members as well.
Try to raise the subject calmly and without blame. Keep your own money safe, and think twice before paying off someone else’s gambling debts, because that can keep the problem going. Only the person who gambles can decide to get help, but you can make sure they know where to find it.
If you are a parent, keep an eye on spending in your children’s game accounts, and talk with them about loot boxes and betting with skins.
Age limits and the law
You must be of legal age to gamble, and the limit depends on where you live. It is 18 in most countries, including the United Kingdom and Australia. In New Zealand you must be 20 to enter a casino, and many US states require you to be 21 to gamble in a casino. Online gambling is licensed in some countries, restricted in others and not allowed at all in some.
Check the age limit and the rules where you live before you gamble for real money. They are published by your national or state gambling regulator, for example the UK Gambling Commission, the gaming commission of your US state, or New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs. Only gamble with operators licensed where you live.