Responsible Gambling

Self-Exclusion Guide

If you feel gambling is becoming a problem, self-exclusion is one of the most effective steps you can take. Here is how it works:

BetStop (National Register)

BetStop is Australia’s national self-exclusion register. When you join BetStop, licensed gambling providers cannot contact you with promotions or allow you to open new accounts. You can register online at betstop.gov.au or by calling 1800 858 858.

Casino-Level Self-Exclusion

Most reputable online casinos also offer their own self-exclusion options. You can typically set this in your account settings or by contacting customer support. You can choose to exclude yourself for a set period (e.g., 6 months, 1 year) or permanently. During this time, the casino should not allow you to deposit or play.

Deposit Limits

Even if you don’t feel you need full self-exclusion, setting deposit limits is a smart way to stay in control. Most casinos let you set daily, weekly or monthly deposit limits in your account. You can also set loss limits and session time limits. These tools are free to use and can help you keep gambling within your entertainment budget.

Reality Checks and Time-Outs

A reality check is a pop-up reminder that appears after a set period of play (commonly every 30, 60 or 90 minutes) showing how long you have been logged in and your net win or loss for the session. You can switch it on in your account settings at every operator we recommend. A time-out is a shorter, voluntary cooling-off period — typically 24 hours to six weeks — during which you cannot deposit or play, but your account stays open and you can withdraw. Use a time-out when a session is going badly and you feel the urge to chase losses; use full self-exclusion when the behaviour has become persistent.

Recognising the Warning Signs

Problem gambling rarely announces itself — it usually creeps in slowly. The earlier you spot the warning signs in yourself or someone close to you, the easier it is to step back. The following are the most commonly reported indicators:

• Chasing losses: continuing to gamble after a losing session in the belief that a win is “due” and will recoup the losses. This is the single most dangerous sign.
• Borrowing money to gamble: using credit cards, payday loans, buy-now-pay-later accounts or money from family and friends to fund gambling, with no clear plan to repay.
• Neglecting responsibilities: skipping work, study, household duties, childcare or social commitments to gamble, or being preoccupied with gambling while doing them.
• Lying about gambling: hiding how much time or money is spent, downplaying losses, or denying the problem when others raise it.
• Gambling to escape problems: using pokies to relieve stress, anxiety, loneliness, depression or boredom rather than as a deliberate entertainment choice.
• Withdrawal-like symptoms: feeling restless, irritable, anxious or depressed when unable to gamble, or needing bigger bets or longer sessions to feel the same excitement.
• Strained relationships: arguments, secrecy, broken trust or relationship breakdowns traced back to gambling.
• Affecting physical health: disturbed sleep, poor appetite, headaches, tension or other stress-related symptoms linked to gambling.
• Feeling unable to stop: repeatedly intending to cut back or quit and failing, or setting limits that are broken within minutes of logging in.
• Selling possessions: selling personal items, withdrawing superannuation, or using savings earmarked for essentials to gamble.

If several of these sound familiar, please reach out to Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858 — it is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

How to Get Help in Australia

Australia has a strong network of free, government-funded gambling support services. You do not need to be “in crisis” to use them — early contact is strongly encouraged.

Gambling Help Online is the national 24/7 support service. Call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au for phone, web chat and email counselling, plus resources for family and friends. BetStop is the National Self-Exclusion Register at betstop.gov.au; enrolling prevents licensed online wagering providers from letting you open or use an account. Lifeline provides 24/7 crisis support on 13 11 14 when gambling is affecting your mood or mental health. Beyond Blue offers mental health support on 1300 22 4636. Relationships Australia provides relationship and family counselling where gambling is a factor, and most state and territory community health centres and regional gambling support services offer free face-to-face or telephone counselling close to where you live. For offshore online pokies casinos specifically, also use the operator’s own self-exclusion and limit tools alongside these national services.

A Step-by-Step Self-Exclusion Walkthrough

If you decide self-exclusion is the right step, the process is straightforward at both national and operator level:

Step 1 — Enrol on BetStop

Go to betstop.gov.au or call 1800 858 858. You will provide your name, date of birth and identification details, then choose an exclusion period — commonly six months, one year, three years or permanent. Once enrolled, participating licensed online wagering operators are legally required to check the register and block your accounts and marketing.

Step 2 — Self-exclude at each offshore operator

BetStop covers licensed Australian wagering operators, but the offshore Gaming Curacao casinos that many Australians use are not on the register. Log in to each casino, open the responsible-gambling or account-limit settings, and choose a self-exclusion period (commonly six months or longer) or email support to request it in writing. Keep a copy of any confirmation emails.

Step 3 — What happens during exclusion

During the exclusion period you cannot log in, deposit or play. Most operators will honour withdrawal requests for your remaining balance, but they will not send you bonus or promotional emails. A self-exclusion is designed to be hard to reverse early — you usually cannot lift it before the period ends. Use the cooling-off time to speak with Gambling Help Online and rebuild healthier habits. When the period expires, you decide whether to return, and on what terms.

Setting Healthy Limits Before You Play

You do not need to wait until gambling becomes a problem to use operator limit tools. Every reputable online casino offers the following controls in its responsible-gambling or account-limit section:

Deposit limits cap how much you can deposit per day, week or month. Set these before you start playing — a lower limit takes effect immediately, while an increase takes a cooling-off period. Loss limits cap your net losses over a set period and reset automatically, helping you avoid chasing. Session time limits lock you out of the account after a set duration. Reality checks pop up every 30, 60 or 90 minutes showing how long you have been playing and your net win or loss for the session — leave these on. Wager limits cap the size of individual bets. And marketing opt-outs stop bonus and reload emails that can trigger impulsive play. Set all of these at the start, not after a losing session. If you would like a structured plan, our editorial team can point you to further Australian resources.