A casino app puts slots, roulette and live tables in your pocket, ready at any hour. That convenience is also what makes mobile gambling easy to lose track of. This page explains how to keep casino play under control, how to recognize when it is turning into a problem and where to find free, confidential help.
Casino-Apps.eu reviews casino apps, but we do not offer gambling and we do not want anyone to gamble more than they can afford. If you do choose to play for real money, we want you to do it safely.
Need help now?
Support is free and confidential, and you do not have to sort things out on your own. These services are good places to start:
- Worldwide: Gambling Therapy offers free online support and live chat in several languages.
- United States: the National Problem Gambling Helpline, run by the National Council on Problem Gambling: call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738).
- United Kingdom: the National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare: 0808 8020 133 in England and Scotland and 0808 2819 265 in Wales, free and open 24 hours a day.
- Australia: Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858.
- New Zealand: the Gambling Helpline: 0800 654 655, or send a free text to 8006.
If your country is not on the list, Gambling Therapy can help you find local services, and your doctor can refer you to support where you live.
Playing on your phone: what responsible gambling means
Responsible gambling means you stay in charge. You decide in advance how much time and money you will spend, you treat that money as the price of entertainment, and you accept that it is gone.
Every casino game has a house edge built into it. Slots, roulette, blackjack and live casino games are designed so that the operator makes money over time, and no system, pattern or bonus changes that. Mobile apps add their own risks: you can play anywhere, sessions are quick to start, deposits take a few taps and fast games such as slots can use up a budget in minutes.
When playing is no longer fun, or when you play to win back money you have lost, it is time to stop.
Habits that keep you in control
- Set a deposit limit in the app before your first deposit, and a loss limit if the app offers one.
- Decide how long you will play and use the app’s session reminders or a timer on your phone.
- Keep gambling money separate from money for rent, bills and food.
- Never borrow to gamble, and avoid depositing with a credit card.
- Do not chase losses with bigger bets or longer sessions.
- Turn off push notifications and promotional emails from casino apps.
- Read the terms before you accept a bonus: wagering requirements can keep you playing longer than you meant to.
- Avoid playing when you are tired, stressed, low or have been drinking.
- If you need a break, use the app’s time-out or self-exclusion option, and delete the app from your phone.
Warning signs of gambling harm
Gambling problems tend to build slowly, and they can be hard to see, both for the person gambling and for those around them. Signs to watch for include:
- spending more money or time on casino apps than you planned
- playing again to win back what you have lost
- borrowing money, or using money meant for something else, to gamble
- hiding how much you play or what you have spent
- reaching for the app whenever you are bored, stressed or alone
- gambling getting in the way of work, study, sleep, money or relationships
- feeling guilty, anxious or ashamed about gambling
Just one of these signs can mean gambling is starting to cause harm. Noticing it is a good reason to talk to someone, and getting help early usually makes the biggest difference.
Check your gambling
Not sure whether your gambling is a problem? Go through the warning signs above and answer each one honestly. You can also look at the transaction history in the casino app or your bank statements to see what you have really spent. If you would like a second opinion, contact one of the helplines at the top of this page. They are confidential, and you do not have to give your name.
Ways to get help
- Helplines: free support by phone, text or chat, listed by country at the top of this page. Advisers can also put you in touch with free counseling near you.
- Self-help groups: Gamblers Anonymous holds free meetings for people who want to stop gambling, in many countries and online.
- Self-exclusion: licensed casino apps let you set limits, take a time-out or exclude yourself completely. Some countries also have national schemes that block you from every licensed operator at once, such as GAMSTOP in the United Kingdom and BetStop for online wagering in Australia.
- Blocking tools: gambling-blocking apps and your phone’s own screen-time or content settings can make it harder to reach gambling sites and apps.
- Your doctor can offer support and refer you to specialist help.
For family and friends
Gambling harm affects partners, children, parents and friends as well as the person who gambles. You may feel worried, angry or powerless, and you have a right to support for yourself. Most of the helplines above also help family members.
It often helps to talk openly and calmly, without blame, to protect your own money and to avoid paying off someone else’s gambling debts, as that can make the problem last longer. In the end, the person who gambles has to decide to get help, but you can show them where to find it.
Age limits and the law
You must be of legal age to gamble, and the limit depends on where you live. It is 18 in most countries, including the United Kingdom and Australia. In New Zealand you must be 20 to enter a casino, and many US states require you to be 21 to gamble in a casino. Online casinos are licensed in some countries, restricted in others and not allowed at all in some.
Before you play for real money, check the age limit and the law where you live. Your national or state gambling regulator publishes the rules, for example the UK Gambling Commission, the gaming commission of your US state, or New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs. Only use casino apps from operators licensed where you live.