Responsible Gaming
Gambling Should Be Entertainment, Not Income
At secularspiritualcare.org, we believe that gambling should only ever be viewed as a form of entertainment, similar to going to the movies or attending a sporting event. It should never be considered a way to earn money or solve financial problems. The odds are always in favour of the house, and you should only ever gamble with money you can afford to lose.
If you find yourself gambling to make money, chase losses, or use gambling to escape problems, it's time to seek help.
Age Verification
Gambling is only legal for individuals who are 18 years of age or older in Australia. If you are under 18, or under the legal gambling age in your jurisdiction, you must not participate in any gambling activities. We take the protection of minors seriously and strictly prohibit underage gambling.
Warning Signs of Problem Gambling
Do you recognise any of these warning signs? If so, problem gambling may be affecting your life:
- Chasing losses by gambling more to try to win back money you've lost
- Lying to family, friends, or others about how much you gamble or how much money you've lost
- Gambling with money intended for bills, rent, food, or other essential expenses
- Feeling anxious, irritable, or restless when not gambling
- Spending increasing amounts of time and money on gambling
- Failed attempts to reduce or control your gambling
- Using gambling to escape problems, stress, anxiety, or depression
- Borrowing money to gamble or pay gambling debts
- Neglecting work, study, family, or social activities because of gambling
- Experiencing financial difficulties, debt, or legal problems due to gambling
- Hiding gambling activity or betting slips from loved ones
Self-Help Tools & Features
Most reputable betting sites offer tools to help you gamble responsibly. Take advantage of these features:
- Deposit Limits: Set a maximum amount of money you can deposit in a day, week, or month
- Loss Limits: Set a maximum amount of money you're willing to lose before stopping
- Betting Limits: Restrict the size of individual bets you can place
- Reality Checks: Enable pop-up reminders during play to check how long you've been gambling
- Time-Out/Cool-Off Period: Take a break from gambling for a set period (days to months)
- Self-Exclusion: Voluntarily ban yourself from betting sites for a longer period (typically 6 months to 5 years)
Use these tools proactively to maintain control over your gambling habits.
Support Organisations
If you're struggling with problem gambling, professional help is available. Please reach out to one of these organisations:
Australia
- Gambling Help Online – Free, confidential counselling and support
www.gamblinghelponline.org.au
Phone: 1800 858 858 (free call)
United Kingdom
- GamCare – Free confidential support and counselling
www.gamcare.org.uk - GamStop – National self-exclusion scheme
www.gamstop.co.uk
Canada
- Responsible Gambling Council – Information and support resources
www.responsiblegambling.org
United States
- National Council on Problem Gambling – Helpline and resources
www.ncpgambling.org
Phone: 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537)
Germany
- Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (BZgA) – Federal health education centre
Support for gambling addiction: www.bzga.de
If You Have a Problem, Seek Help Today
Problem gambling can have serious consequences for your health, relationships, finances, and wellbeing. If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling, please reach out for help today. There is no shame in asking for support—counsellors and support services are trained to help, and assistance is free and confidential.
You are not alone, and help is available.