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Safer gambling

Betting is entertainment with a price on it.

It is not income, and it is not a way to fix a shortfall. This page covers what a problem looks like, the controls every licensed Australian operator has to give you, and where to get help for free.

Right now

Need to talk to someone today?

Gambling Help Online is free, confidential and open 24 hours. You do not need a referral and you do not have to give your name.

1800 858 858gamblinghelponline.org.au

Warning signs

Six things worth noticing

One of these on its own is not a diagnosis. Several of them together is worth a conversation with someone who does this for a living.

  • You are betting more, or for longer, than you meant to
  • You are betting to win back what you have already lost
  • You are borrowing, or selling things, to keep betting
  • Work, study or people at home are getting the leftovers
  • You feel restless or short-tempered when you try to cut back
  • You have started hiding the betting from people close to you

Your controls

What every licensed operator must offer

These are not favours. Australian licence conditions require them, and you will find them in account settings or through support.

Deposit limits
Cap what can move into the account daily, weekly or monthly. Increases are held for a cooling-off period; decreases apply immediately.
Loss limits
Set a ceiling on what you can lose over a period, independent of what you deposit.
Session reminders
A prompt on screen telling you how long you have been logged in and where you stand.
Take a break
Lock the account for a set period — usually from 24 hours up to several months — without closing it.
Self-exclusion
Shut the account for a fixed term or permanently. It cannot be reversed on request during the term.

Set the deposit limit on day one, while nothing is riding on it. Australia's National Self-Exclusion Register, BetStop, goes further: one registration covers every licensed Australian wagering operator at once, for three months or longer, and operators must stop marketing to you as well.

Help services

Free help across Australia

None of these services charge, and none of them are run by an operator.