Player safety

Responsible Gambling

Updated 23 July 2026

Pokies are designed to be entertaining. When they stop being entertaining and start being something you feel unable to stop, that is the point at which the game has moved out of recreation and into harm. This page is about recognising that transition — in yourself or in someone you care about — and knowing what free, confidential help is available in Australia.

Recognising early signs

Problem gambling rarely arrives with a warning label. The common early signs, in rough order of appearance:

• Playing longer or spending more than you had planned.
• Chasing losses — increasing stakes after a losing session to "get back to even".
• Feeling relief when depositing, then guilt afterward.
• Hiding play from family, partner, or friends.
• Missing bills, borrowing money, or moving funds around to cover gambling.
• Feeling anxious when unable to play.
• Playing to escape negative feelings rather than for entertainment.

You do not need to hit all of these to have a gambling problem. Two or three, sustained over a few weeks, is enough reason to talk to someone.

Practical tools available inside pokies sites

Every reputable site provides responsible-gambling tools. Use them proactively, not reactively:

• Deposit limits. Cap how much you can deposit per day, week, or month. Reductions usually take effect immediately; increases have a cooling-off period.
• Loss limits. Similar to deposit limits but based on net loss over a period.
• Session limits and reality checks. Set the site to log you out after a set time, or to show you a pop-up reminder of elapsed session length and net position.
• Cool-off periods. Block yourself from the site for a defined short period (usually 24 hours to 30 days).
• Self-exclusion. Longer-term block, usually 6 months to permanent, at the operator level.

Australian help services

All of these are free, confidential, and available to anyone in Australia regardless of insurance status or means.

• Gambling Help Online — 24/7 counselling by phone, chat, and email. Free.
• BetStop — Australia's National Self-Exclusion Register. One registration blocks you from all Australian-licensed wagering providers for a period you choose. Free.
• Lifeline — 13 11 14. Crisis support 24/7 for anyone experiencing distress. Free.
• Gambling Therapy — International free online support, useful if you prefer text-based or group-based support.
• ACMA — Reports illegal offshore operators.

For someone you care about

If someone in your life is showing signs of a gambling problem, the most useful things you can do are: listen without judging, avoid financing (even small loans "just this once" enable the pattern), and share the Gambling Help Online contact rather than trying to be the solution yourself. Gambling Help Online supports family members as well as the person gambling.

Age restriction

Every site we cover is for players aged 18 and over. Under-18s are prohibited from gambling in Australia. If you know a minor accessing gambling sites, contact the operator's support and — if the site is licensed in Australia — report to ACMA.