Responsible Gambling
Pokies pay back less than they take
Every pokie has a return to player figure below 100%. At 96%, a game gives back 96 dollars for every 100 staked, averaged over millions of spins. On one session that number predicts nothing.
Treat gambling as paid entertainment. Money you can’t afford to lose has no place in a casino account.
Set your limits before the first spin
Decide what you’re willing to lose before you open a game, then lock that figure into the account itself.
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| Deposit limit | Caps what you can pay in per day, week or month |
| Loss limit | Stops play once losses reach the amount you set |
| Session reminder | Shows how long you’ve been playing at fixed intervals |
| Cooling-off | Blocks bets and deposits for a set period, withdrawals still work |
| Self-exclusion | Closes access from one day to indefinite |
Lower limits usually apply straight away. Raising one takes 24 hours at most offshore casinos, and that delay is a protection, not an obstacle.
Turn off the option that lets you reverse a pending withdrawal. Cancelling a payout to keep playing is one of the fastest ways to lose a win.
Warning signs
- You deposit again straight after losing
- You cancel withdrawals so you can keep playing
- You raise stakes to win back what you lost
- You hide the time or money spent from family or friends
- You gamble with money meant for rent, bills or food
- You borrow to gamble
One sign is reason enough for a break. Several at once are reason to speak to a counsellor.
Free help in Australia
| Service | Contact | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Gambling Help Online | 1800 858 858, 24 hours a day, free and confidential | Anyone gambling, plus family and friends |
| Gambling Help Online chat | gamblinghelponline.org.au | Counselling by chat and email, including out of hours |
| Lifeline | 13 11 14 | Crisis support when gambling losses affect your safety |
These services are independent of gambling operators and cost nothing.
BetStop and offshore casinos
BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register, blocks you from every Australian-licensed interactive wagering service at once, for three months up to a lifetime. Registration takes minutes at betstop.gov.au.
BetStop does not cover offshore casinos. Online casino games are not licensed in Australia, so a site like WinSpirit is not part of the register. There, self-exclusion has to be requested from the operator’s support team in writing, and you should keep the confirmation.
For protection that doesn’t depend on the operator, blocking software such as Gamban or BetBlocker stops gambling sites opening on your phone and computer no matter where they are licensed.
Under 18s
Gambling for money is illegal for anyone under 18. On a shared device, don’t save card details in the browser and switch on parental controls.
If someone close to you gambles too much
Paying off a debt helps for a week and usually delays the problem. Gambling Help Online counsels family members on the same number, 1800 858 858, and financial counselling is available free through the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.