Safer Gambling

1. Our commitment

OpenBookies provides information about betting shops, casinos and bingo halls. We are not a gambling operator, but we know our content is read by people who gamble. We take safer gambling seriously and want every visitor to have the information they need to stay in control.

2. Gambling is for over-18s only

All gambling products referenced on the Site are for use by persons aged 18 or over. Underage gambling is a criminal offence in the United Kingdom. If you are under 18, please leave the Site.

3. Are you in control? A quick self-check

Ask yourself honestly:

• Do I gamble more money or for longer than I intended?
• Do I try to win back what I have lost?
• Have I borrowed money or sold anything to gamble?
• Have I lied to family or friends about how much I gamble?
• Has gambling caused me stress, anxiety or relationship problems?

If you answered "yes" to any of these, free, confidential help is available — see the support organisations below.

4. Tips for keeping gambling fun

• Set a budget and never gamble with money you cannot afford to lose.
• Set a time limit and stick to it.
• Don't chase losses — accept that losses are part of gambling.
• Don't gamble when stressed, depressed, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Balance gambling with other activities so it remains one hobby among many.
• Take regular breaks and use reality-check and time-out tools where available.

5. Tools you can use right now

GAMSTOP — self-exclusion from UK online gambling

GAMSTOP is the UK's free national self-exclusion scheme. You can choose to block yourself from all UK-licensed online gambling websites and apps for 6 months, 1 year or 5 years.

Deposit limits and time-outs

Every UK-licensed gambling operator must let you set deposit limits, loss limits, session-time limits and "time-outs" within your account. Set these before you start playing, not after.

Bank gambling blocks

Most major UK banks (including Monzo, Barclays, NatWest, Lloyds, Starling, HSBC and Santander) offer a free in-app option to block gambling transactions from your debit card. Many include a 24- to 48-hour cooling-off period before the block can be removed.

Gamban — block gambling sites on your devices

Gamban is software that blocks access to gambling websites and apps across all of your devices. It is provided free of charge to anyone in Great Britain through GamCare.

Self-exclude from a betting shop

You can self-exclude from a single shop or from all UK betting shops through the Betting & Gaming Council Multi-Operator Self-Exclusion Scheme (MOSES). Call 0800 294 2060 for help signing up.

6. Free, confidential support

7. Affected by someone else's gambling?

Gambling harm reaches beyond the person gambling. Gam-Anonoffers support for family and friends, and GamCarealso provides advice for those affected by someone else's gambling.

8. Ireland — support and self-exclusion

If you are in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland, the following free, confidential services can help:

9. Regulators

Gambling in Great Britain is regulated by the Gambling Commission. Retail bookmakers in the Republic of Ireland are licensed by the Revenue Commissioners(with the new Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland taking on wider oversight), and Northern Ireland bookmakers are licensed by the Department for Communities. Every operator listed on this Site should hold a valid licence — always check before depositing money.

10. Contact us

If you have a concern about content on the Site, or if a listing or advertisement is encouraging unsafe gambling, please email contact@openbookies.com and we will review it.