Responsible Gambling Guide

Gambling should always be a form of entertainment — something you do for enjoyment, not as a way to make money or escape from problems. The vast majority of people who use casino apps in the UK do so responsibly, treating it as a leisure activity with a set budget, just like going to the cinema or dining out. But for a small percentage of people, gambling can become harmful, affecting their finances, relationships, mental health, and overall wellbeing.

This guide is designed to help you stay in control of your gambling. Whether you are an experienced player or new to casino apps, the information on this page will help you recognise the warning signs of problem gambling, understand the tools available to keep yourself safe, and know exactly where to turn if you or someone you care about needs support. If you are struggling with gambling right now, please contact GambleAware on 0808 8020 133 for free, confidential advice available 24 hours a day.

Recognising Problem Gambling

Problem gambling can develop gradually, and many people do not recognise the warning signs until the situation has become serious. Understanding these signs — in yourself or in someone close to you — is the first step towards getting help. Problem gambling does not discriminate by age, gender, income level, or background. It can affect anyone.

The following are common warning signs that gambling may be becoming a problem:

Chasing losses. Continuing to gamble in an attempt to win back money you have lost is one of the most common and dangerous patterns. If you find yourself depositing more after a losing session because you feel you are "due a win" or need to recover your losses, this is a significant red flag. Chasing losses almost always leads to larger losses and a deepening cycle of harmful behaviour.

Hiding gambling from others. If you feel the need to conceal how much time or money you spend gambling from your partner, family, or friends, it suggests that on some level you recognise the behaviour is problematic. Secrecy around gambling — deleting transaction histories, lying about where money has gone, or gambling in private — is a strong indicator that the activity has moved beyond entertainment.

Borrowing money to gamble. Using credit cards, overdrafts, loans, or money borrowed from friends and family to fund gambling is a serious warning sign. Responsible gambling means only ever using money you can genuinely afford to lose — money that is set aside specifically for entertainment and is not needed for bills, rent, food, or other essentials.

Neglecting responsibilities. When gambling starts to interfere with your work, studies, family commitments, or social life, it has crossed the line from entertainment to harm. Missing deadlines, avoiding responsibilities, cancelling plans with friends or family, or being distracted by thoughts of gambling during important activities are all signs that gambling has taken an unhealthy priority in your life.

Increasing bets to feel excitement. Like many activities that provide a dopamine response, gambling can lead to tolerance — where you need to bet larger amounts to achieve the same level of excitement. If you find that the stakes you used to enjoy no longer feel stimulating and you are progressively increasing your bet sizes, this pattern may indicate developing problems.

Feeling anxious, irritable, or restless when not gambling. If you experience negative emotions when you are unable to gamble, or if gambling has become the primary way you manage stress, boredom, or other difficult feelings, this suggests an unhealthy dependence. Gambling should never be used as a coping mechanism for emotional difficulties.

Self-Assessment Questions

Take a moment to honestly answer the following questions. They are not a clinical diagnosis, but they can help you reflect on whether your gambling habits might be moving in an unhealthy direction. If you answer "yes" to two or more of these questions, we strongly encourage you to seek further advice from one of the support organisations listed later on this page.

1. Do you spend more money on gambling than you originally planned or can comfortably afford to lose?
2. Have you tried to cut down on gambling but found it difficult to stop?
3. Do you feel restless, anxious, or irritable when you try to reduce your gambling or go without it?
4. Do you gamble to escape problems, relieve stress, or improve your mood?
5. After losing money gambling, do you often return to try to win it back?
6. Have you lied to family members, friends, or others about the extent of your gambling?
7. Have you borrowed money, sold possessions, or used savings to fund gambling?
8. Has your gambling caused arguments or problems in your relationships?
9. Has gambling negatively affected your work performance or education?
10. Do you find yourself thinking about gambling frequently, even when you are doing other things?

If any of these questions resonate with you, please do not ignore the feeling. Acknowledging that gambling may be becoming a problem is not a sign of weakness — it is the first and most important step towards regaining control. Support is available, it is free, and it is completely confidential.

Tools and Limits Available on Casino Apps

All licensed casino apps operating in the UK are required to provide a range of tools to help players stay in control. These tools are designed to be easy to access and simple to use. We strongly recommend that every player, regardless of whether they consider themselves at risk, makes use of at least some of these features as a precautionary measure.

Deposit limits. Every UKGC-licensed casino must allow you to set daily, weekly, and monthly deposit limits. Once you reach your limit, you will be unable to deposit more funds until the next period begins. We recommend setting deposit limits as soon as you register a new account, before you make your first deposit. Choose an amount that fits comfortably within your entertainment budget — money that you would not miss if you lost it entirely. Increases to deposit limits are typically subject to a cooling-off period of 24 to 72 hours, which is a deliberate safeguard against impulsive increases.

Loss limits. In addition to deposit limits, many casinos allow you to set loss limits that cap the amount you can lose within a given period. This provides an additional layer of protection, as it accounts for losses from bonuses and promotional funds as well as deposited money. If your net losses reach the limit you have set, gameplay will be restricted until the next period.

Session time limits. Time limits allow you to set a maximum duration for your gambling sessions. Once the time limit is reached, you will be logged out or presented with a pop-up notification asking whether you wish to continue. Time limits are particularly useful for mobile gambling, where it can be easy to lose track of how long you have been playing, especially during commutes or late-night sessions.

Reality checks. Reality check notifications appear at intervals you set (commonly every 30 or 60 minutes) to remind you how long you have been playing and display your session profit or loss. These prompts break the flow of play and give you a moment to make a conscious decision about whether to continue. They are a simple but effective tool for maintaining awareness.

Cool-off periods. If you feel you need a short break from gambling, most casinos offer cool-off periods lasting from 24 hours to six weeks. During a cool-off period, your account is temporarily suspended and you cannot log in, deposit, or play. This is less drastic than full self-exclusion and is useful if you feel your gambling is becoming slightly out of control and you want a pause to reset.

Self-exclusion. Self-exclusion is the most comprehensive tool available. When you self-exclude from a casino, your account is closed and you are prevented from opening a new one for the duration of the exclusion period. For individual casinos, self-exclusion periods typically range from six months to five years. For a more comprehensive solution that covers all UKGC-licensed operators simultaneously, see the GamStop section below.

GamStop Self-Exclusion

GamStop is the UK's free national self-exclusion scheme. It allows you to register for self-exclusion from all gambling websites and apps that hold a licence from the UK Gambling Commission. This means that with a single registration, you can block yourself from every UKGC-licensed online gambling platform simultaneously.

How GamStop works. Registration is free and can be completed online at www.gamstop.co.uk. You will need to provide your personal details (name, date of birth, email addresses, and home address) so that participating operators can identify and restrict your accounts. Once registered, all UKGC-licensed gambling sites are required to close your existing accounts and refuse any new account applications for the duration of your exclusion.

Exclusion periods. You can choose to self-exclude for a minimum of six months, one year, or five years. At the end of your chosen exclusion period, you will not automatically regain access to gambling sites. Instead, you must actively choose to end your self-exclusion, and there is a 24-hour cooling-off period before your exclusion is lifted. This safeguard ensures that the decision to return to gambling is deliberate and considered.

What GamStop covers. GamStop covers all online gambling operators licensed by the UKGC. This includes casino apps, sports betting sites, bingo platforms, and lottery sites. It does not cover land-based gambling venues (betting shops, casinos, or arcades) or gambling sites that do not hold a UKGC licence. If you need support with land-based gambling, contact GamCare for advice on additional self-exclusion options.

Our recommendation. If you are considering whether to register with GamStop, we encourage you to do so. There is no downside to self-exclusion if you feel that gambling is no longer enjoyable or is causing you concern. It is a free, confidential service designed to protect you, and registering is one of the strongest steps you can take to regain control.

UK Support Organisations

The United Kingdom has a strong network of support services for anyone affected by problem gambling. All of the organisations listed below provide free, confidential support to individuals and their families. You do not need to have a formal diagnosis or be in crisis to reach out — these services are available to anyone who has concerns about their gambling or the gambling of someone they care about.

Tips for Gambling Responsibly

Responsible gambling is not complicated. It comes down to maintaining awareness, setting boundaries, and making conscious decisions about your gambling activity. The following tips are straightforward but effective strategies for keeping gambling enjoyable and safe.

Set a budget and stick to it. Before you begin any gambling session, decide how much money you are prepared to spend and accept the possibility of losing that entire amount. Think of it as the cost of entertainment, just like buying a ticket to a show. Once you have reached your budget, stop. Do not deposit more. Use the deposit limit tools on your casino app to enforce this automatically.

Set time limits. It is easy to lose track of time when using casino apps, particularly on mobile devices where gambling is always just a tap away. Set a time limit for each gambling session using the tools provided by your casino app, or simply set an alarm on your phone. When the time is up, log out and move on to another activity.

Never chase losses. This is perhaps the single most important rule of responsible gambling. Losses are a normal and expected part of gambling — the house always has an edge, and no strategy or system can change that fundamental mathematical reality. When you have a losing session, accept it and walk away. Trying to win back losses almost always leads to larger losses.

Do not gamble when emotional. Gambling when you are stressed, angry, upset, lonely, or bored is a recipe for poor decision-making. Casino apps should be something you engage with when you are in a calm, positive state of mind and can think clearly about your choices. If you are using gambling to cope with difficult emotions, consider speaking to one of the support organisations listed above.

Take regular breaks. Extended gambling sessions reduce your ability to make rational decisions. Take breaks at least every 30 to 60 minutes to clear your head, assess your position, and decide consciously whether you want to continue. Use reality check reminders to prompt these breaks automatically.

Never borrow money to gamble. Only gamble with money from your designated entertainment budget — money that you have already earned and that is not needed for any other purpose. If you run out of your gambling budget, that is a clear signal to stop. Never use credit cards, overdrafts, loans, or money borrowed from others to fund gambling. In the UK, it is illegal to use credit cards for gambling, which is an important consumer protection.

How We Promote Responsible Gambling

At Mayfair Salon, responsible gambling is not an afterthought — it is woven into everything we do. We believe that as a casino review site, we have a duty to promote safe gambling practices alongside our recommendations and editorial content. Here is how we fulfil that duty:

Every page includes responsible gambling messaging. Every page on Mayfair Salon, from our homepage to individual casino reviews, includes prominent responsible gambling information, links to GambleAware and GamStop, and the 18+ age restriction badge. We ensure this information is visible and accessible, not hidden in small print at the bottom of the page.

We evaluate responsible gambling tools in our reviews. The quality and range of responsible gambling tools available at each casino forms part of our 25-point review methodology. Casinos that provide comprehensive, easy-to-use responsible gambling features score higher in our evaluations. We specifically check for deposit limits, loss limits, session limits, reality checks, cooling-off periods, and self-exclusion options at every platform we review.

We do not use irresponsible language. We never describe gambling as a way to "make money," "get rich," or "earn an income." We do not use language that minimises the risks of gambling or implies that winning is guaranteed or expected. Our content is written to inform and educate, not to encourage excessive gambling.

We support GambleAware. We actively promote the work of GambleAware and other UK support organisations across our content. We believe that free, confidential support should be available to anyone who needs it, and we use our platform to help raise awareness of these vital services.

Under 18s

Gambling is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 in the United Kingdom. This applies to all forms of gambling, including casino apps, sports betting, bingo, and lottery (with the exception of certain National Lottery games, which have an age limit of 18 as of 2021). It is a criminal offence for operators to knowingly allow underage gambling, and it is also an offence for adults to facilitate gambling by a minor.

All UKGC-licensed casino apps are required to verify the age and identity of every player before allowing them to deposit or play for real money. This verification process typically involves checking your details against government databases, and may require you to submit photographic identification such as a passport or driving licence. These measures exist to protect young people from the potential harms of gambling.

If you are a parent or guardian concerned about a young person's exposure to gambling, there are several steps you can take. Install parental controls on devices that children use to prevent access to gambling websites and apps. Services such as Net Nanny, Qustodio, and the built-in parental controls on iOS and Android devices can help restrict access. Talk to young people about gambling and its risks in age-appropriate terms. If you are concerned that a young person may already be gambling, contact GamCare for specialist advice and support.

Last updated: 12 May 2026