Responsible Gambling: Limits and Support for Australians

Set your limit before the first bet

The single most useful rule is to decide your maximum loss before you open any gambling product. Treat that amount as the price of entertainment, like a concert ticket. It is gone once spent. If losing it would change your week, it is too high.

Here is a worked example. Say you earn A$1,200 a fortnight after tax and your fixed costs are A$950. That leaves A$250 for food extras, transport and fun. A gambling limit of A$30 a fortnight keeps most of that intact. A limit of A$150 does not.

Add a time limit too. Set a phone timer for 30 or 45 minutes and stop when it rings, whether you are up, down or even. A timer adds the pause that slots and live tables are designed to remove.

Warning signs to take seriously

Gambling harm usually shows up in money, time and mood before anything else. You do not need to tick every box. One sign that keeps coming back is enough reason to act.

A big win can make things worse, not better. It strengthens the idea that gambling is a way to solve money problems. If a win pushed you to raise your stakes, count that as a warning sign too.

Free Australian support at a glance

Australia has free, confidential services for gambling, debt and crisis support. You can call on behalf of yourself or someone else.

Counsellors will not judge you or tell you to label yourself. A first call can be as simple as “I want to stop tonight” or “I need to protect my rent money”. They can also connect you with local, face-to-face help and financial counselling.

BetStop, GAMSTOP and overseas casinos

BetStop is Australia's national self-exclusion register, but it only covers Australian-licensed online and phone wagering providers. It does not block overseas online casinos, including Grosvenor, or copycat sites.

Grosvenor's British customers use a different system. GAMSTOP is the UK's national online self-exclusion scheme, and all UK-licensed online operators must take part. It is built for people living in Great Britain, so it is not a tool for Australian residents.

That gap is why barriers matter. If you are worried about overseas sites, combine several layers: a bank gambling block, device or network filters, closing any existing accounts and unsubscribing from marketing. Each one adds friction. Together they are much harder to get round on a bad night.

Tools inside a Grosvenor account

For customers in its licensed markets, Grosvenor provides the safer gambling tools UK rules require. If you ever hold an account there, set them on day one.

• Deposit limits per day, week or month. Lowering them works at once; raising them has a cooling-off delay.
• Reality checks that pop up after a set time with your session spend.
• Time-outs from 24 hours to several weeks.
• Self-exclusion for six months or longer, covering the account.
• Marketing opt-outs so offers stop arriving.

These tools only cover that one operator. They do not protect you on other sites. Grosvenor's online casino is also not an Australian service; the Australia availability page explains why.

Bank blocks and control of your money

Most major Australian banks let you block gambling transactions on your cards, often in a few taps in the app. Ask your bank what the block covers and how long it takes to remove. Many add a 48-hour or longer delay before switching it off.

Blocks rely on how merchants are coded, so some payments can slip through, such as bank transfers or cash withdrawals. Use the block as one layer, not the whole plan.

1. Turn on the gambling block in your banking app or call the bank.
2. Remove saved cards from any gambling account and app.
3. Move rent and bills to automatic payments on payday.
4. Lower daily transfer limits and cancel spare credit cards.
5. Ask a trusted person to hold a copy of your plan.

Never borrow to gamble or take a payday loan to cover a loss. Credit cards have been banned for online wagering in Australia since June 2024, and for gambling in the UK since 2020, for exactly that reason.

Helping a partner, friend or family member

Pick a calm moment and describe what you have seen, such as missing money, late nights or secrecy. Avoid arguing about whether it is an “addiction”. The aim is to open a door to help, not to win the debate.

Protect shared money first. Review joint accounts, change passwords that should not be shared and do not lend money to cover gambling losses. Family members can call Gambling Help Online even if the person gambling is not ready to.

Your own stress counts. Set boundaries you can keep, and get advice early if there is fraud, intimidation or risk to children.

Self-check: five quick questions

Answer these honestly, just for yourself. There is no score to reach. If you answer yes to any of them, it is a good time to talk to someone.

1. Have you bet more than you could afford to lose in the last month?
2. Have you gone back another day to try to win back losses?
3. Have you borrowed money or sold something to gamble?
4. Has gambling caused you stress, anxiety or arguments?
5. Have you hidden your gambling from people close to you?

These questions are adapted from common screening tools used by support services. They are not a diagnosis. They are a starting point for a conversation, and Gambling Help Online can take it from there.

A plan for the next 24 hours

If gambling is out of control right now, focus on stopping the next deposit, not fixing every loss. Small, concrete steps work best.

1. Log out of every gambling account and delete the apps.
2. Call your bank and ask for a gambling block.
3. Tell one person you trust what is happening.
4. Call Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858.
5. If bills are overdue, call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.

If you have thoughts of self-harm, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 000 in an emergency. Money problems can be worked through. Another bet is not the plan.