A good mate knows when to pause.

Support is available now

Set boundaries before you start

Decide how much time and money you can afford to spend as entertainment. Keep rent, food, debt repayments and savings separate. Use deposit, loss and session limits where the operator offers them. A casino bonus is not a reason to raise a limit you already set.

Notice when play changes

Trying to win back losses, borrowing to gamble, hiding transactions or thinking about gambling when you want to do something else are reasons to pause. A win does not erase a harmful pattern. Speak with someone you trust or contact the helpline before returning to play.

Take a break that has boundaries

Log out, turn off promotional messages and consider a time-out or self-exclusion through the operator’s account tools. If you have accounts with several operators, contact each one. You can also ask your bank about any gambling payment controls it offers. Extra friction can give you space to make a calmer decision.

There is no recovery strategy

Changing games, increasing stakes or claiming another offer cannot guarantee recovery of money already lost. Stop rather than extending a session to reach a target. Casino games are entertainment with a cost and a risk of loss, not a savings plan or income source.

Helping someone else

Choose a calm moment, describe the behaviour that worries you and listen. Avoid taking over the role of a counsellor. The Gambling Helpline can discuss practical support and boundaries with family, whānau and friends too.

Adults only

Our content is for adults aged 18 and over. Individual operators and jurisdictions can apply higher minimum ages. Keep gambling accounts and payment details inaccessible to children and never allow another person to use your account.