Responsible gambling.

Five rules

1. Decide in advance how much you can afford to lose — per day, week, month. It’s the cost of entertainment, not an investment.
2. Set limits before you deposit. Check which control tools your account settings offer: deposit limits, time-outs, self-exclusion.
3. Don’t chase losses. Trying to win back what you’ve lost is the fastest route to bigger losses.
4. Don’t bet when emotional, drunk or tired.
5. Don’t borrow or use money set aside for essential expenses.

Warning signs

Take a step back if you recognise yourself in even one of these:

• you bet more or for longer than you planned;
• you hide your betting from people close to you;
• you borrow money to keep playing;
• you feel anxious or irritable when you can’t bet;
• betting gets in the way of work, study or relationships.

What to do

Take a break: use self-exclusion or a time-out in your account settings if available, or ask the operator’s support to close your account. Talk to someone you trust.

Where to get help

• Gambling Therapy — free online support in several languages.
• Gamblers Anonymous — a fellowship with groups around the world.
• BeGambleAware — information and self-assessment tools.

Be careful with helpline numbers from search results: many of them belong to commercial clinics rather than free services. Start with your doctor, your country’s national health service, or the international organisations above — Gambling Therapy offers support in several languages.