Keeping gambling in balance

Our role

Obsidian Ribbon Alliance is an information and signposting site. We highlight a small number of UK-facing casinos, but we do not operate gambling services ourselves. That means we cannot see your play history, balances or personal details, and we cannot apply limits or exclusions on your behalf.

Any controls you want to use – such as deposit limits, reality checks or self-exclusion – must be set directly with each operator you use, or via third-party tools like GAMSTOP.

Signs gambling may be a problem

It might be time to pause and seek help if you notice things like:

• Gambling with money that was meant for bills, rent or essentials.
• Chasing losses or increasing stakes to try to “win it back”.
• Lying to family or friends about how much you are gambling.
• Feeling stressed, anxious or low because of gambling.
• Finding it hard to stop or stick to limits you set.

If any of this sounds familiar, you are not alone and there is support available.

Tools you can use with operators

Most UK-licensed casinos must offer safer-gambling tools in your account area, including:

• Deposit limits – cap how much you can add over a set period.
• Loss or spend limits – where available, limit how much you can lose or stake.
• Reality checks – on-screen reminders of how long you’ve been playing.
• Time-outs – short breaks from using your account.
• Self-exclusion – blocking access to your account for a longer period.

You’ll usually find these in the “Safer Gambling”, “Play Responsibly” or “My Account” sections of the operator’s website.

Blocking access more widely (GAMSTOP)

If you want to block yourself from most online gambling companies licensed in Great Britain, you can register with:

Once your GAMSTOP exclusion is active, participating operators should not allow you to use their online gambling services during the selected period. You should still take additional steps such as removing payment methods and uninstalling gambling apps.

Practical steps you can take today

If you choose to gamble, you can keep more control by:

• Deciding a fixed budget you can comfortably afford to lose – and sticking to it.
• Setting a clear time limit before you start playing.
• Avoiding gambling when you are tired, upset or under the influence of alcohol or other substances.
• Never chasing losses or trying to “get even”.
• Treating any wins as a bonus, not something you can rely on.

If you are worried about how gambling is affecting you or someone close to you, please contact the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or visit BeGambleAware.org. Obsidian Ribbon Alliance cannot provide personalised counselling, but we encourage anyone who is struggling to seek professional support as early as possible.