Responsible gambling
Gambling is strictly for adults aged 18 and over. Treat pokies as paid entertainment and never play with money meant for rent, bills, groceries or debt repayments.
Warning signs include chasing losses, hiding play from family or friends, borrowing to gamble and stakes that keep creeping up. Set deposit, loss and session limits in your account before the first spin. A lower limit applies straight away; a higher one only kicks in after a cooling-off period.
Free, confidential help is available 24/7 from Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858 or by web chat at gamblinghelponline.org.au. Queenslanders can also contact Gambling Help Queensland, and support is open to family members too.
BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register (betstop.gov.au), lets you block yourself from every licensed Australian wagering provider for three months up to life. For offshore pokies sites, use the site's own self-exclusion tool and blocking software such as Gamban.
Under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, offshore online pokies are not licensed in Australia, so local consumer protections do not apply. ACMA has more information at acma.gov.au.