Responsible Gambling

Gamblexity only lists casinos licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). All operators listed on this site are required by law to provide responsible gambling tools and support services to their customers.

Gambling should be viewed as entertainment, not as a source of income. If gambling is negatively affecting your life or the life of someone you know, help is available.

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Contents

1. Signs of a Gambling Problem
2. Types of Gambling Disorder
3. Account Controls and Deposit Limits
4. How to Self-Exclude in the UK
5. Support Organisations
6. UK Gambling Statistics
7. Recent UK Regulatory Changes

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Signs of a Gambling Problem

The following questions are used by NHS and GamCare to help individuals assess whether they may have a gambling problem. If you answer yes to one or more of these questions, consider speaking to a professional.

• Do you bet more than you can afford to lose?
• Do you need to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling?
• Have you tried to win back money you have lost?
• Have you borrowed money or sold possessions to fund gambling?
• Has gambling caused health problems, including stress or anxiety?
• Have others expressed concern about your gambling?
• Has gambling caused financial problems for you or your household?
• Have you felt guilty about the way you gamble?

A formal diagnosis of gambling disorder requires assessment by a qualified mental health professional. The presence of four or more of the above signs within a 12-month period may indicate a disorder, according to the American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic criteria.

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Types of Gambling Disorder

Compulsive Gambling The individual is unable to control their desire to gamble regardless of outcome or financial consequence. Also referred to as pathological gambling.

Binge Gambling Compulsive gambling behaviour occurs only during specific periods. The individual may appear to be in control between episodes.

Problem Gambling Gambling behaviour that causes disruption to daily life without meeting the full criteria for compulsive gambling disorder. May include chasing losses or concealing gambling from others.

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Account Controls and Deposit Limits

Every UKGC-licensed operator is legally required to provide the following responsible gambling tools. These are available in your account under Account Settings → Responsible Gambling.

Tool	Description
Deposit Limits	Restricts the amount you can deposit per day, week, or month. Reductions take effect immediately. Increases are subject to a mandatory 24-hour delay.
Loss Limits	Restricts the amount you can lose within a set period. Reductions are immediate; increases are delayed by 24 hours.
Session Time Limits	Automatically ends your session after a pre-set period of play.
Reality Checks	Displays a notification at regular intervals showing total time played and net spend.
Cool-Off / Time-Out	Temporarily suspends account access for a period of 24 hours to 6 weeks. The account reactivates automatically when the period ends. This is not equivalent to self-exclusion.
Self-Exclusion	Closes the account for a minimum of 6 months. Cannot be reversed before the exclusion period ends.

If a UKGC-licensed operator fails to provide these tools, this can be reported directly to the Gambling Commission.

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How to Self-Exclude in the UK

GamStop — National Online Self-Exclusion

GamStop is the UK's national self-exclusion scheme for online gambling. A single registration excludes you from all UKGC-licensed online gambling websites and apps simultaneously.

To register with GamStop:

1. Visit www.gamstop.co.uk
2. Provide your name, date of birth, email address, postal address, and mobile number
3. Select an exclusion period: 6 months, 1 year, or 5 years
4. Submit the form. Exclusion takes effect within 24 hours.

Once active, the exclusion cannot be reversed before the selected period ends. After the period expires, you must actively opt out to have the exclusion lifted. It does not lapse automatically.

Retail (Land-Based) Self-Exclusion

GamStop covers online operators only. To self-exclude from betting shops, bingo halls, or land-based casinos, contact each venue directly. Ladbrokes, William Hill, Coral, and Betfred participate in the Multi-Operator Self-Exclusion Scheme (MOSES), which covers all their retail locations with a single registration.

Individual Site Self-Exclusion

To exclude from a single operator, log into your account and navigate to Account Settings → Responsible Gambling → Self-Exclusion. The operator is required to stop all marketing communications and return any outstanding balance upon confirmation.

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Support Organisations

The following services provide free, confidential support for individuals affected by gambling harm.

Organisation	Contact	Services
GamCare (National Gambling Helpline)	0808 802 0133 — free, 24/7	Phone counselling, live chat, face-to-face therapy
GambleAware	gambleaware.org	Information, online support, treatment referrals
Gamblers Anonymous UK	0330 094 0322	Peer support meetings across the UK
Gordon Moody Association	gordonmoody.org.uk	Residential treatment and recovery programmes
BIGDEAL (under 18s)	0808 802 0133	Confidential support for young people
Addiction NI (Northern Ireland)	028 9066 4434	Northern Ireland-specific gambling support

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UK Problem Gambling Statistics

Statistic	Figure	Source
Problem gambling rate (adult population)	0.3%	UKGC Gambling Behaviour Report 2023
At-risk gamblers (moderate harm)	~7% of gamblers	UKGC Gambling Behaviour Report 2023
Adults who gambled in the past 4 weeks	~44%	UKGC Participation Survey 2023
GamStop self-exclusions registered	500,000+	GamStop, 2024
GamCare helpline contacts per year	~50,000	GamCare Annual Review
Young people (11–16) who gamble regularly	~11%	UKGC Young People Survey 2022

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Recent UK Regulatory Changes

Date	Change
January 2026	10× wagering cap introduced. Casino bonuses cannot require more than 10× the bonus amount in wagering before withdrawal.
October 2024	Mandatory stake limits on online slots: £2 per spin for players aged 18–24; £5 per spin for players aged 25 and over.
April 2024	Operators required to conduct frictionless financial vulnerability checks using credit reference data.
April 2024	Mandatory RG funding contributions introduced for major operators, replacing the prior voluntary levy system.
April 2023	Gambling Act Review White Paper published, proposing a statutory gambling levy and enhanced affordability checks.

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Further Information

• UK Gambling Commission: gamblingcommission.gov.uk
• GamCare: gamcare.org.uk
• GambleAware: gambleaware.org
• GamStop: gamstop.co.uk

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18+ only. Gambling involves financial risk. If you are concerned about your gambling, contact the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 802 0133 (free, 24/7).

Last updated: June 2026