Responsible Gambling

Gambling Should Stay Entertainment

Gambling should be treated as entertainment, not as a guaranteed way to make money. Every game involves risk, outcomes are uncertain, and previous wins or losses do not determine what will happen next.

Players should decide in advance how much time and money they are comfortable spending and avoid exceeding those limits. Gambling should never interfere with essential expenses, work, relationships or other important responsibilities.

If gambling stops feeling enjoyable or becomes difficult to control, taking a break and using available support tools can be an important next step.

Set a Gambling Budget

A personal gambling budget can help keep spending within limits. The amount should be money that can be lost without affecting rent, housing, food, bills, debt repayments, savings or other essential commitments.

Avoid increasing a gambling budget after losses and do not treat borrowing, credit or money intended for another purpose as available gambling funds.

• Decide your spending limit before playing.
• Keep gambling money separate from essential expenses.
• Do not increase the limit simply because you have lost.
• Review your actual spending regularly.
• Stop when your predetermined limit has been reached.

Set Time Limits

It can be easy to lose track of time during online play. Setting a clear time limit before starting can help prevent sessions from continuing longer than intended.

Take regular breaks and avoid gambling when tired, upset, distracted or under the influence of substances that may affect judgement.

A session should end when the planned time has passed, regardless of whether the session is currently winning or losing.

Do Not Chase Losses

Chasing losses means continuing or increasing gambling in an attempt to recover money already lost. This can lead to larger losses and increasingly risky decisions.

A previous loss does not make a future win more likely. Each gambling outcome should be treated independently, and players should never assume that continued play will recover earlier losses.

If you notice that you are playing primarily to win back money, consider ending the session and taking a longer break.

Understand How Gambling Outcomes Work

Gambling games are designed around uncertain outcomes. No strategy, betting pattern or previous result can guarantee a future win.

Players should avoid interpreting a sequence of losses as evidence that a win is due, or a sequence of wins as evidence that continued winning is likely. These beliefs can encourage decisions that exceed personal limits.

Information about available titles can be found on the The Pokies games page, but game availability should never be interpreted as a promise of profit.

Account Controls and Player Protection

Where supported by the platform, account controls can help players manage gambling activity. The exact tools available should be displayed from verified platform settings rather than assumed or copied from third-party websites.

Player-protection tools may include controls such as:

• Deposit limits
• Loss or spending limits
• Session or time limits
• Cooling-off periods
• Temporary account breaks
• Self-exclusion
• Promotional communication preferences

Only tools that are genuinely available through The Pokies should be represented as platform features.

Deposit Limits

Deposit limits can help control the amount transferred into a player account over a defined period. Where the platform supports deposit limits, players should be able to understand how the limit works, when it applies and how changes are handled.

A limit should be chosen based on personal affordability rather than the maximum amount permitted by the platform.

For general transaction information, visit the The Pokies deposits and withdrawals page.

Take a Break From Gambling

A temporary break can be useful when gambling is taking more time, attention or money than intended. Where cooling-off or time-out options are available, they should be presented clearly in the account or responsible gambling controls.

During a break, players should avoid creating additional accounts or using alternative websites simply to continue gambling.

If a short break does not feel sufficient, self-exclusion may be a more appropriate option.

Self-Exclusion

Self-exclusion is intended for players who want to prevent themselves from accessing gambling services for a defined period or, where supported, indefinitely.

The production version of this page should explain the exact self-exclusion process available through The Pokies, including how a request is submitted, what happens to the account and whether any restrictions apply to reopening or reactivation.

Self-exclusion requests should be handled through verified platform channels. Players should not need to disclose account passwords in ordinary messages to request protection.

Age Restrictions

Gambling services are not intended for minors. Users must meet the minimum legal age requirements that apply to the jurisdiction in which the platform is permitted to operate.

The final production page should state the verified minimum age requirement that applies to The Pokies and ensure that the same requirement appears consistently across registration, terms, privacy and responsible gambling information.

Anyone who does not meet the applicable minimum age must not create or use an account.

Protecting Minors

Adults using shared devices should take reasonable steps to prevent minors from accessing gambling accounts or saved authentication details.

• Keep account passwords private.
• Do not leave an authenticated account unattended.
• Sign out on shared devices.
• Avoid saving payment credentials where minors can access them.
• Use available device or parental controls where appropriate.

Signs Gambling May Be Becoming a Problem

Gambling behaviour can become harmful gradually. Recognising warning signs early can make it easier to reduce activity or seek support.

Warning signs may include:

• Spending more money than originally planned
• Trying repeatedly to recover losses
• Borrowing money in order to gamble
• Hiding gambling activity from other people
• Feeling anxious, frustrated or distressed about gambling
• Neglecting work, relationships or responsibilities
• Finding it difficult to stop after deciding to stop
• Gambling for increasingly long periods

Experiencing one or more of these behaviours may be a reason to take a break, apply stronger account controls or seek independent support.

Bonuses Should Not Determine Your Spending

Promotions should not encourage players to spend more than they can comfortably afford. A bonus is optional and should never be treated as guaranteed value or as a reason to continue gambling after a personal limit has been reached.

Do not make an additional deposit solely because a promotion appears to offer a larger reward if that deposit falls outside your planned budget.

Current offer conditions can be reviewed on the The Pokies bonuses page.

Gambling and Financial Decisions

Gambling should not be used as a solution to financial problems. Players should avoid gambling with borrowed money or funds required for essential living costs.

If gambling losses are creating financial pressure, increasing gambling activity generally increases risk rather than solving the underlying problem.

Consider stopping gambling activity and seeking appropriate financial or support guidance instead.

Gambling When Upset or Under Pressure

Emotional state can affect decision-making. Gambling while angry, distressed, lonely or under significant pressure can make it harder to maintain planned spending and time limits.

Taking a break and returning only when decisions can be made calmly can help reduce impulsive activity.

Alcohol, Drugs and Gambling

Alcohol and other substances can affect judgement, concentration and self-control. Gambling while impaired can increase the likelihood of spending more or playing longer than intended.

Players should avoid gambling when their ability to make clear decisions is affected.

Review Your Gambling Activity

Reviewing account and transaction activity can help players understand their real gambling behaviour rather than relying on memory.

Where available, account histories can help users review deposits, withdrawals and other activity over time. Players should consider whether actual spending remains consistent with the personal limits they intended to follow.

Responsible Gambling and Account Security

Responsible gambling also includes protecting access to the account. Users should not share account credentials or allow another person to gamble through their account.

If someone else may have gained access to the account, change relevant credentials through the approved security process and contact support where necessary.

Account access information is available on the The Pokies login page.

Support From The Pokies

Players who want help using responsible gambling controls or managing their account should be able to contact the platform through a verified support channel.

Support information should clearly explain how to request available player-protection measures without requiring users to navigate through unrelated promotional content first.

Visit The Pokies Support for the available account-assistance options.

Independent Gambling Support

Independent support can be valuable when a player wants confidential advice outside the gambling platform itself.

Because support organisations, contact details and eligibility can differ by jurisdiction, the production version of this section should display verified resources appropriate to the locations in which The Pokies operates.

Do not publish guessed telephone numbers, organisations or regulatory contacts. Jurisdiction-specific resources should be verified before launch and reviewed periodically for accuracy.

Responsible Gambling Information Should Remain Easy to Find

Player-protection information should not be hidden behind promotional pages. Links to responsible gambling guidance should remain visible from relevant areas of the website, including the footer, account pages, payments and promotions.

Important controls should also be accessible from the account interface where technically supported.

Keeping Player-Protection Information Accurate

Responsible gambling information should be reviewed whenever platform controls, account processes or jurisdictional requirements change.

In particular, the website should maintain accurate information about:

• Minimum age requirements
• Available account limits
• Cooling-off options
• Self-exclusion procedures
• Account closure processes
• Promotional communication controls
• Independent support resources

Outdated player-protection guidance can cause real harm, so accuracy is more important than publishing the longest possible page.

Responsible Gambling FAQ

Explore Related Information

Return to the The Pokies homepage for the main platform experience. You can also review deposit and withdrawal information, bonuses and promotions, account access information, the Privacy Policy or Terms and Conditions.