Pause your play
Leave the games behind for a while and do something without betting or prizes.
Want help today? Gambling Help Online provides confidential assistance at no cost. Visit Gambling Help Online ↗ · Reviewed 14 October 2026 · General guidance only; it is not health or financial advice.
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Core habits
Put yourself first
Gambling may affect your finances and emotional health. Support is worth seeking before matters become urgent.
Secure everyday funds
Exclude rent, groceries, bills and savings from the money available for gambling.
Reach out early
Help is available for advice, time away from play or concerns about another person's gambling.
Potential harm
Know what can go wrong
- Casino results should never be treated as reliable earnings.
- Trying to regain lost funds often results in greater losses.
- Stop if you borrow, conceal your play or spend funds reserved for necessities.
- Bonuses and promotional play may carry conditions and do not remove financial risk.
In Australia, ACMA says online casinos and online slots are illegal online gambling services. See ACMA player information.
Spending controls
Protect money for essentials
Choose boundaries in advance
When using a lawful service, inspect the account for deposit or loss controls. Treat any limit as a ceiling, never a goal.
- Set aside essential costs and never fund gambling through borrowing.
- Confirm when any requested adjustment will become active.
- Check whether the control applies to deposits, losses or each.
- When a boundary is difficult to follow, step away and contact independent support.
Session control
Manage time and pause play
- 01
Pick a finish time
Set your end time in advance and arrange an alert that is separate from the casino.
- 02
Step away properly
Sign out, disable gambling alerts and switch your attention to a different activity.
- 03
Check the impact
Consider whether gambling is affecting sleep, employment, personal connections or your thoughts.
- 04
Get outside help
Contact a support organisation when sessions regularly run over or stopping feels difficult.
Access restrictions
Self-exclusion and account blocks
Self-exclusion adds distance between you and a gambling account. Confirm exactly which services and accounts are included, because a single application may not cover every site.
| Control | What it may cover |
|---|---|
| Account self-exclusion | Ask about the application steps, exclusion length, included accounts and conditions for restoring access. |
| BetStop register | The national register applies to licensed online and telephone wagering services, but its reach does not include all gambling sites. |
| Bank and device blocks | Contact your bank or device provider to learn which restrictions they offer and where those restrictions apply. |
Check eligibility, coverage and enrolment details for the national register at BetStop website.
Warning signals
When play may be causing harm
Recovering losses
Raising bets or continuing a session in an attempt to recoup money already lost.
Financial strain
Unpaid expenses, borrowed funds or an inability to keep necessities protected.
Daily disruption
Secrecy, arguments, lost sleep or gambling displacing responsibilities and important relationships.
These behaviours suggest it is time to find assistance; this information cannot evaluate or diagnose you. Gambling Help Online resources offers practical information and tools for deciding what to do next.
Getting assistance
Independent support in Australia
Confidential counselling
Gambling Help Online offers confidential online counselling without charge across the country.
Get Bonus Now
BetStop register
Review BetStop for information about the national register covering licensed telephone and online wagering.
Claim Bonus
Getting assistance
Use government resources to locate national or state-based gambling assistance.
Play NowHelp is also available when another person's gambling affects you. A counsellor can discuss personal boundaries and ways to protect your wellbeing.
Act today
Select one useful action
Speak to a counsellor
Confidential online counselling is available free through Gambling Help Online.
Get confidential help →Start a proper pause
Sign out of gambling accounts, silence related alerts and do something unrelated to betting. A support service can help you plan from there.
View break resources →Review exclusion scope
BetStop applies to licensed online and telephone wagering providers. Confirm its coverage and enrolment requirements.
Open BetStop →Protect your wellbeing
Support is available when somebody else's gambling affects your finances, relationships or personal health.
Find personal support →Common concerns
Fair Go Safer Gambling FAQ
When should I seek gambling support?
You can reach out whenever gambling causes concern. There is no need to wait until spending, time or wellbeing reaches a crisis point.
Will a Fair Go deposit limit remove every risk?
No specific Fair Go deposit-limit tool is stated. Any available limit would cover defined activity only, so consider time away and independent help if boundaries are hard to maintain.
Will BetStop block access to Fair Go?
BetStop covers licensed online and telephone wagering providers. Check its official coverage before depending on it to restrict access to a particular service.
Can I ask for help about another person's gambling?
Yes. Gambling Help Online supports people who are being affected by the gambling behaviour of somebody close to them.
More information
Useful Fair Go Guides
Fair Go responsible gaming guidance
Responsible play in practice
Fair Go responsible gaming means viewing casino activity as entertainment you pay for, never as income or a method of recouping losses. Results are uncertain and every game involves risk, so establish firm boundaries before logging in or adding funds.
You must be 18 or older to gamble. Avoid playing while tired, stressed, emotional or affected by alcohol. Rent, groceries, utilities, repayments and other necessities should always remain outside your gambling budget.
- Choose an affordable loss boundary before a session begins.
- Fix an end time and leave when you reach it.
- Never raise bets in an effort to regain losses.
- Separate household finances from all gambling funds.
- Pause regularly and consider whether play remains enjoyable.
Plan limits in advance
Writing down your plan can make it easier to follow. Choose your maximum spend, session length and clear stopping condition before opening Fair Go. Once a boundary is reached, end the session instead of reconsidering it while absorbed in play.
Specific Fair Go deposit, loss, session and reality-check controls are not published on the official site. Check your account area and ask 24/7 live support which controls are currently available.
| Plan area | Boundary to set before playing |
|---|---|
| Budget | A loss amount that leaves essential expenses untouched |
| Session | A fixed point for ending play |
| Conduct | Personal warning signals that trigger an immediate break |
| Account | A short pause or a stronger access restriction |
Spot problems sooner
Harmful gambling patterns may emerge over time. Signals include constant thoughts about play, concealing activity, borrowing, missing responsibilities, restlessness away from games or repeatedly returning after intending to stop.
Chasing a loss is another serious signal. It involves spending more or extending play to recover money that has gone. Earlier outcomes cannot improve the odds of a later result, and losing should prompt you to stop.
- Sessions exceed the time or budget you originally chose.
- Gambling leaves you worried, ashamed or easily frustrated.
- Sleep, employment, study, self-care or relationships begin to suffer.
- You sell possessions or take loans to keep playing.
- Attempts to quit repeatedly end with another session.
Pause or restrict access
After losing money, stop before adding more funds. Record what occurred, secure the money you have left and contact an independent service instead of gambling again. Harm reduction means protecting yourself, not attempting to recover a previous loss.
Finding help in Australia
Support is appropriate before circumstances become severe. Speak with a recognised gambling support organisation, qualified counsellor or local health professional about behaviour, finances and safer choices. Involving somebody you trust may also help when gambling is affecting money or relationships.
For immediate danger or severe emotional distress, contact emergency services or an appropriate crisis service. Fair Go 24/7 live support can address account queries, while independent counsellors and financial advisers are better placed to assist with gambling harm.
Focus on one clear action: leave the games, make no further deposits, speak to someone you trust and arrange professional assistance. Acting promptly can help protect your finances and personal wellbeing.
