Responsible Gambling
Gambling should stay fun. It's entertainment, not a way to make money or solve financial problems. This page explains what it means to be a responsible gamer, offers resources for those wishing to take control of their gambling, and provides information on what to do if it becomes a problem.
Stay in control of your play
While most people enjoy playing slots or casino games without any problems, fewer people have difficulty regulating themselves. The page will explain what it means to be a responsible gamer, offer resources for those wishing to take control of their gambling, and provide information on what to do if it becomes a problem.
You must be 18 or over to gamble in the UK. MrQSlots only accepts readers 18 years or older, and none of the MrQSlots content is designed to encourage minors to gamble. Help is available and it's free if you or someone in your life is worried about gambling. Details are further down this page.
What Is Responsible Gambling?
Responsible gambling means treating gambling as a leisure activity with a real cost, not a source of income. It involves knowing how much to bet before you play, keeping to them and exiting the game when the betting isn't fun anymore.
It also requires familiarity with the mechanics of the games. Slots and casino games are designed from random results and a house advantage; whatever changes in your strategy, the maths will stay the same. Responsible play begins by understanding that there is a possibility that you can lose, and that you can make it so that a loss doesn't become a larger issue.
How to Gamble Responsibly
A few simple habits make a real difference to how safely you gamble.
Set a gambling budget
Decide in advance how much you can lose in a week/month, and don't use money that you need to pay your bills with, rent, or save. When your budget runs out, stop for the amount of time you designated.
Set deposit limits
Most licensed operators allow the player to set the daily, weekly or monthly wagering limits. Sticking to this number before you play will make it less tempting to keep adding during the game.
Set time limits
Set timers and reminders/alarms for yourself to play a specific amount of time. Time flies by when you're playing and a hard cutoff helps the game from escaping you.
Take regular breaks
Step away from the screen every so often, even during a single session. A brief pause allows you to pause, reflect and make an informed decision about whether or not you really want to continue to play.
Never chase losses
Trying to win back money you've already lost is one of the most common ways a manageable loss turns into a serious one. Walk away if you are down, don't raise your wager to make up for it.
Responsible Gambling Tools
UK-licensed operators are required to offer a range of tools that help players stay in control. These are usually found in your account settings.
Deposit limits
Limit how much you can put in your account during a day, week or month. A cooling-off period is typically required before a limit can be raised, and a limit can be lowered immediately.
Time-outs
A time-out is a period of time for which you are unable to log in or play, and is currently set between 24 hours and 6 weeks from your account.
Self-exclusion
Self-exclusion is a longer term measure which prohibits access to an operator's website for a designated amount of time, typically for anywhere from six months to five years. Most operators will not permit reversal of most operators prior to time set, regardless of the operator's request.
GamStop
GamStop is the self-exclusion initiative for online gambling in the UK. There are no single operators you're denied access to - registering once means you're denied access to ALL operators licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. It's free to use and is fully active after 24 hours.
Signs of Problem Gambling
Common warning signs include:
- Spending more time or money on gambling than you planned to
- Lying to friends or family about how much you gamble
- Chasing losses by betting more to try to win money back
- Feeling anxious, irritable, or low when you're not gambling
- Borrowing money, missing bills, or dipping into savings to fund gambling
- Neglecting work, relationships, or other responsibilities because of gambling
- Gambling to escape stress, boredom, or difficult emotions rather than for enjoyment
When to seek help: If any of these sound familiar, even occasionally, it's worth reaching out to a support service. There is no need to wait until things become a crisis. The following organisations have confidential and free initial conversations with people: many people find it useful to talk through an initial conversation with someone outside the scenario.
Where to Get Gambling Support in the UK
GamCare
GamCare operates the National Gambling Helpline and provides free advice and support and counselling for anyone impacted by gambling including friends and family. Call 0808 8020 133, available 24/7.
gamcare.org.uk ↗GambleAware
GambleAware provides treatment, education and research into gambling harm throughout Great Britain and their website is a great place to start to find local support services.
begambleaware.org ↗Gamblers Anonymous
Gamblers Anonymous also holds peer support meetings in the UK face-to-face and online for anyone desiring to recover from gambling and remain free from the addiction.
gamblersanonymous.org.uk ↗GamStop
Much like above, GamStop is a tool which allows you to self-exclude from every UK-licensed website and app, all in one. There is no cost to register and it is available on gamstop.co.uk.
gamstop.co.uk ↗Responsible Slot Playing
Slots are games of chance. A slot machine's random number generator is used to produce each spin independent of each other. No pattern to see nor any system that guarantees a win. Think of every spin as a new and different game.
Understanding RTP
RTP stands for Return to Player. It is the amount of money that's returned to players over a very long period of time (millions of spins). A slot with a 96% RTP theoretically returns £96 for every £100 wagered across that entire lifespan, not within any single session.
Understanding volatility
Volatility (or variance) is a term used to refer to a slot's pay out. Low-volatility games are likely to have more frequent payouts for smaller wins, meaning you'll have a longer playing period for the same amount of money. High-volatility games offer lower payouts, but they are more likely to pay off with a larger prize. They're not necessarily superior; it depends on your desired session and your personal swing tolerance.
RTP does not guarantee winnings
RTP is an average not a guarantee. It's possible to lose money at a 98% RTP slot in one round, and you can also win money at a 90% RTP slot. Don't see RTP as a signal for a win.
Avoid chasing losses
This is important to remember particularly for gaming slots. The common mistake is to raise your bet after a losing run, hoping that you will make up for the losses, and it typically leads to further losses. Don't exceed your budget that you have established prior to the start of play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Responsible gambling involves setting limits to the amount of time and money you spend, playing for entertainment and not for profit and stopping when you feel it is causing you problems.
Before playing, set a budget, avoid chasing losses, take regular breaks and place deposit and time limits on your account. These strategies can be difficult to self-manage, so you may find it helpful to use tools to help you follow them, such as time-outs, self-exclusion, or GamStop.
GamStop is a free UK self-exclusion scheme, which turns off your access to all UK Gambling Commission licensed online gambling sites in one go. You don't exclude from each operator, you register at gamstop.co.uk.
Self-exclusion is a feature which allows you to exclude yourself from a gambling site—or all licensed UK sites, through GamStop—for a specific time. It's meant to be hard to back out of early so that if you want to have a solid wall between you and the gambling.
Higher RTP means a game returns a larger share of wagers over the long run, but it does not affect the outcome of any individual session. The RTP doesn't necessarily indicate how many times you will win or what size you will win, you can still lose on a high RTP slot.
GamCare's National Gambling Helpline (0808 8020 133) is available 24/7 and free to call. GambleAware, Gamblers Anonymous, and GamStop are also listed above and offer confidential support and self-exclusion tools.
About MrQSlots
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18+. Gambling can be addictive. Please play responsibly.
18+ only. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Set a deposit limit before you play. Free confidential support is available from BeGambleAware on 0808 8020 133. Self exclusion across all UK licensed operators is available through GamStop.