Betting should cost roughly what an evening out costs, and feel about the same. When it starts to look different — chasing, hiding, borrowing — the tools on this page exist to stop it, and they work whether or not you feel ready to use them.
Tools in your account
Everything below is self-service under Account Settings → Responsible Gaming. Anything that reduces or halts play applies the moment you confirm it. Loosening a limit is held back by a waiting period, so a decision taken in a difficult hour cannot be undone in the same one.
| Tool | What it does | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit limits | Caps what you can pay in; once the cap is reached, deposits are refused. | Per day, week or month |
| Loss limits | Sets a ceiling on net losses across the period you choose. | Per day, week or month |
| Session reminders | Show how long you have been logged in and where you stand. | During play |
| Cooling-off | Locks the account so no bet can be placed. Nothing is deleted. | 24 hours to 6 weeks |
| Self-exclusion | Ends play and stops marketing. Neither you nor support can lift it early. | 6 months, 1 year, 5 years or permanent |
If your aim is to stop, choose self-exclusion rather than relying on willpower. It is built to hold on the night willpower does not.
Signs worth taking seriously
In the money
- Staking more than you meant to, and more often than you meant to.
- Chasing losses — raising stakes to win back what has gone.
- Using money set aside for rent, bills, food or school fees.
- Borrowing, selling possessions or taking credit to keep playing.
In everything else
- Keeping the real amount from people close to you, or lying about it.
- Playing to get away from stress, low mood or boredom rather than for entertainment.
- Turning restless or short-tempered whenever you try to cut back.
- Letting work, study or family commitments slide because of it.
One of these on its own is a signal. Several together mean it is time to use the tools above and speak to someone.
Practical habits
- Fix the amount before you start, and count it as spent the moment it is deposited.
- Set a deposit limit now, while it is easy, instead of midway through a losing run.
- Keep a clock in sight; sessions last longer than they seem to.
- Never stake to recover a loss. The loss has already happened.
- Stay away from betting after drinking, or when angry, anxious or worn out.
- Take breaks measured in days rather than minutes.
Protecting people under 18
Accounts are for adults of 18 and over, and identity verification enforces it. Where a device is shared with children or teenagers, three things are worth doing:
- Switch on parental controls at device level.
- Install blocking software on every shared device.
- Keep your password out of browsers, notes and anywhere else it might be found.
Where to get help
Support exists and is free.
Tele-MANAS — 14416
India’s mental health helpline answers on 14416, 24 hours a day in multiple languages, and can refer you onward for addiction support.
Gamblers Anonymous
Meetings in several Indian cities and online, run by people who have been through it.
GamCare
Free counselling and moderated forums, open internationally.
Gambling Therapy
Free online support and forums, wherever you are.
Blocking software — Gamban, BetBlocker and the like — shuts off gambling sites across every device you own, and belongs alongside self-exclusion rather than in place of it.
If it is someone else you are worried about, the same helplines will talk to you. You do not have to be the person betting to ask for advice.