Responsible Gambling
Gambling can be an enjoyable pastime, but it carries real risks — and those risks are higher for anyone who has previously used a self-exclusion scheme. This page sets out the tools, organisations and habits that help keep gambling in check, whether you play on UKGC-licensed sites or at non-Gamstop casinos reviewed on this site.
18+ only. Everything on this page applies to adults in Great Britain. If you are under 18, please do not gamble.
What Responsible Gambling Actually Means
Responsible gambling is not a single action — it is a set of ongoing habits and boundaries that keep playing a leisure activity rather than a source of harm. At its core, it means:
- Gambling only with money you can afford to lose outright
- Setting time and spending limits before you start a session
- Treating losses as the cost of entertainment, not a deficit to recover
- Recognising when play is driven by stress, escapism or chasing losses
- Taking regular breaks and never gambling while impaired
None of this requires abstinence. It requires honesty about your own behaviour and a willingness to use the tools available when patterns start to slip.
Recognising Problem Gambling
Problem gambling rarely announces itself clearly. The signs tend to build gradually. Common indicators include:
- Spending more than you planned on a regular basis
- Borrowing money or using bill money to fund gambling
- Lying to friends or family about how much you play or spend
- Feeling anxious, irritable or low when you are not gambling
- Chasing losses — increasing stakes to try to win back what you have lost
- Gambling to cope with stress, loneliness or low mood
- Failed attempts to cut down or stop
If several of these sound familiar, the organisations listed below offer free, confidential support — no referral needed.
Free Support Organisations in Great Britain
All of the services below are free to use and available to anyone in GB. They do not require you to be registered with a particular casino or scheme.
| Organisation | What it offers | How to reach them |
|---|---|---|
| GamCare | Free counselling, helpline and online chat for people affected by gambling harm | 0808 8020 133 (24/7) or gamcare.org.uk |
| Gamblers Anonymous | Peer-support meetings across the UK, based on a 12-step programme | gamblersanonymous.org.uk |
| BeGambleAware | Information, self-assessment tools and referral to treatment services | begambleaware.org |
| Gordon Moody | Residential and online treatment programmes for severe gambling disorder | gordonmoody.org.uk |
| NHS Northern Gambling Service | Free specialist NHS treatment for gambling disorder in England | Via GP referral or self-referral at nhs.uk |
Self-Exclusion: Gamstop and Beyond
Gamstop is the UK's national self-exclusion register, operated in cooperation with UKGC-licensed operators. Registering blocks your account across all participating sites for a minimum period of six months, rising to five years. It is free, takes a few minutes to set up, and covers the vast majority of UK-facing licensed gambling sites.
Sites reviewed on Casinos Not On Gamstop operate under overseas licences and are not part of the Gamstop scheme. This means a Gamstop registration does not carry across to them automatically. If you want to exclude yourself from a specific non-Gamstop site, you need to contact that site directly and request self-exclusion through its own responsible gambling tools. Reputable operators in this space offer:
- Self-exclusion — a time-limited or permanent block on your account
- Deposit limits — daily, weekly or monthly caps on how much you can load
- Loss limits — a ceiling on net losses over a set period
- Session time limits — automatic logout after a defined playing period
- Cool-off periods — a short break (typically 24 hours to 30 days) without full exclusion
- Reality checks — on-screen prompts at intervals reminding you how long you have been playing
These tools are only useful if you use them before a session runs away from you. Setting a deposit limit when you first register — even a generous one — is a far better habit than relying on willpower alone.
Blocking Software
If you want a technical barrier across all gambling sites, regardless of licence, blocking software works at the device or network level. Gamban and BetBlocker are the two most widely used options in Great Britain. BetBlocker is free and covers thousands of domains; Gamban charges a small annual fee and is harder to circumvent. Both can be installed on phones, tablets and computers.
Setting Limits That Actually Work
The most common mistake is setting limits that reflect how you feel after a good session rather than what your budget genuinely allows. A practical approach:
- Start with a monthly leisure budget. Decide the total amount — in pounds — you are comfortable losing across the month. Treat it the same way you would a cinema or restaurant budget.
- Set your deposit limit below that figure. If your budget is £100, set a deposit limit of £80. The gap gives you a margin against impulsive top-ups.
- Choose a session length and stick to it. Forty-five minutes to an hour is a natural break point. Enable reality checks if the site offers them.
- Never chase losses within a session. If you reach your session loss limit, close the browser. The session is over regardless of how close you feel to a win.
- Review your spend monthly. Look at actual deposits versus your budget. If the two are consistently different, adjust the limit, not the budget.
A Note on Playing at Non-Gamstop Sites
Players who have previously self-excluded via Gamstop should be aware that the exclusion reflects a decision they made about their own gambling behaviour. That context does not disappear when playing on an overseas-licensed site. The same patterns, risks and warning signs apply, and the same tools — limits, breaks, blocking software and support organisations — remain available.
The sites listed on our main casino reviews page are selected in part on the basis of the responsible gambling tools they provide. We look for deposit limits, self-exclusion mechanisms and links to support organisations as standard criteria. No site that lacks basic player-protection features appears in our rankings.
If you have questions about how we assess sites or want to understand more about what we look for, visit our About Us page.
If Someone You Know Has a Gambling Problem
Gambling harm affects families and friends, not only the person gambling. GamCare and GamAnon both offer support specifically for people close to someone experiencing gambling harm. You do not need to wait until the situation reaches a crisis point — early conversations, approached without blame, are more likely to help than ultimatums.
If you are concerned about someone's gambling and want guidance on how to raise it, GamCare's helpline (0808 8020 133) can advise on how to approach the conversation.
How to Use This Site Safely
Casinos Not On Gamstop is an independent comparison site. We earn commission when readers visit operators through our links — that commercial relationship does not change the responsible gambling guidance on this page, which is written solely in the reader's interest. You can read our full Terms and Conditions for more detail on how the site operates.
Our view is straightforward: gambling should be something you choose to do in good spirits, within a budget you have set in advance, for the enjoyment of the game. If it stops feeling that way, the tools and organisations on this page exist precisely for that moment.