Responsible gambling

Betting should be a form of entertainment you pay for, like a cinema ticket. It is never a way to make money, pay debts or solve problems. Most people who bet regularly lose more than they win over time, because every bookmaker builds a margin into its odds.

You must be of legal age to bet: 18 in most countries we cover, and 21 in Cameroon. If you are younger, betting sites are not for you, and licensed operators will close accounts opened by minors.

Warning signs

Gambling may be becoming a problem if you:

• bet more money or more often than you planned;
• try to win back losses by betting again ("chasing");
• borrow money, sell things or skip bills to bet;
• hide your betting from family or friends;
• feel restless, irritable or anxious when you are not betting;
• think about betting most of the day, or bet to escape stress or low mood.

If one or two of these sound familiar, take a break and talk to someone you trust. Free, confidential help is listed below.

Tools that help you stay in control

Licensed bookmakers must offer safety tools. Find them in your account settings, usually under "Responsible gaming":

• Deposit limits. Cap what you can deposit per day, week or month.
• Loss and stake limits. Cap how much you can lose or bet.
• Reality checks. Pop-up reminders of how long you have been playing.
• Time-out. Lock your account for anything from a day to several weeks.
• Self-exclusion. Close your account for six months or more. The operator must also stop sending you marketing.

Lowering a limit takes effect immediately. Raising one usually has a cooling-off period.

Block gambling sites on your devices

• BetBlocker is a free tool from a charity that blocks gambling sites and apps on phones and computers.
• Gamban is a paid blocking app for phones and computers.
• Banks and mobile money providers in some countries can block payments to gambling merchants. Ask your bank or provider.

Free, confidential help

Gamblers Anonymous runs peer-support meetings in many countries, some of them online: gamblersanonymous.org.

If you are worried about someone else

Problem gambling affects families too. Talk calmly and without blame, avoid paying off their debts without a plan, and encourage them to contact a helpline. Many services above also support family members.

Our commitment

• We only list operators licensed in the country the page is about.
• We show the legal age and a responsible gambling message on every country page.
• We do not promote "sure wins", "fixed matches" or betting as a source of income.
• We do not target content at people under the legal age.

If you see something on our site that falls short of these standards, please let us know via our about page.