Player Safety · Last updated 5 May 2026
Responsible Gaming.
Most people gamble for fun, lose a bit, win a bit, and walk away. For some, it stops being fun. If you're reading this page because something doesn't feel right — that's already a good sign. Recognising it is the hardest part. Everything below exists to help.
Need help right now?
Call the National Gambling Helpline. Free, confidential, 24/7, every day of the year — including public holidays.
If gambling has triggered thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please contact Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14 (24/7). In an immediate emergency, call 000.
On this page
- If you need help right now
- The truth about gambling
- Warning signs to watch for
- Self-assessment: nine questions
- The tools built into your account
- BetStop — national self-exclusion
- Where to get free, confidential help
- If you're worried about someone else
- Financial recovery from gambling debt
- Young people and parental controls
- Lower-risk gambling guidelines
- Our commitment to you
Start with this
Gambling is built so the house wins over time. That's not opinion. It's maths.
Every legal casino game has a built-in mathematical edge for the house, called the “house edge”. It's usually somewhere between 1% and 15% depending on the game. Over a single session, anything can happen. Over millions of spins — which is the timescale that matters for the operator — the maths always wins.
That's how casinos exist. It's not a secret, and we're not going to pretend otherwise. The advertised Return-to-Player percentage you see for slots — 96%, 97% — isn't a refund. It's the long-run average over tens of millions of spins. Your individual session can land anywhere on that curve.
What this means for you: any deposit you make should be money you can afford to lose entirely. Treat gambling as the cost of an evening's entertainment, not as seed capital that's going to multiply. People who walk away ahead are the lucky outliers, not the model. Anyone — including a casino — who tells you otherwise is selling you something.
Recognise the signs
Twelve patterns that suggest gambling is becoming a problem.
Nobody crosses a single bright line. Problem gambling builds gradually, through changes in behaviour you might not notice on your own. If several of these feel familiar, it's worth taking seriously.
Chasing losses
Increasing your stakes after a losing run, hoping to win back what you've already lost. The next big bet is supposed to fix it. It rarely does.
Betting more than you planned
You set a $50 budget for the night. By midnight you've deposited $300. The number you set yourself feels arbitrary in the moment.
Gambling to escape
Logging in when you're stressed, anxious, lonely, angry — using the dopamine hit to numb something else, instead of dealing with it.
Lying about your gambling
Hiding the time spent playing or the money lost from your partner, family, or friends. Deleting transactions from shared bank statements.
Borrowing to gamble
Using credit cards, payday loans, or asking friends for money to fund deposits. Spending money meant for bills, rent, or groceries.
Restless when not playing
Feeling irritable, anxious, or unable to relax when you can't gamble. Looking for the next session before the current one is over.
Failed attempts to cut down
Promising yourself you'll stop, or take a week off, and breaking that promise within days. The pattern repeats and never sticks.
Affecting work or study
Missing deadlines, calling in sick to play, falling asleep at your desk because you were up at 3 a.m. The session bleeds into your job.
Affecting relationships
Arguments about money, time spent online, or trust. Withdrawing from friends and family because gambling has become more important than they are.
Physical signs
Loss of sleep, weight changes, stress headaches, panic attacks. The body keeps the score even when you tell yourself everything is fine.
Unable to enjoy other things
Hobbies you used to love feel flat. Activities that once mattered have lost their meaning compared to the next bet.
Thoughts of self-harm
If gambling has triggered thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this is a crisis. Stop reading this section and call Lifeline on 13 11 14 right now.
A quiet self-check
Nine questions to ask yourself, honestly.
Below are nine questions adapted from established problem-gambling screening tools used by clinicians around the world. Read them one at a time. Answer honestly — nobody else sees this. The scoring is at the bottom.
Have you ever gambled longer than you originally planned, in any one session?
Have you ever bet more than you could really afford to lose?
Have you ever returned another day to try to win back money you'd lost?
Have you ever borrowed money or sold something to fund gambling?
Have you ever felt that you might have a problem with gambling?
Has gambling caused you to feel guilty, anxious, or depressed?
Has anyone in your life ever criticised your gambling, or told you they were worried about it?
Has gambling ever caused problems at home, at work, or in your studies?
Have you ever gambled to relieve stress, escape problems, or to feel better when you were down?
How to read your answers
Zero or one yes: for most people, gambling stays in the recreational zone. Stay aware, keep using deposit limits, and check in with yourself every few months.
Two or three yes: there are warning signs worth taking seriously. This isn't the end of the world, but it's a moment to reduce your gambling, set firmer limits, and consider talking to someone confidentially. Gambling Help Online is a good first call.
Four or more yes: what you're describing matches the clinical pattern of problem gambling. Please reach out to a counsellor. 1800 858 858 is free, confidential, and operating right now. You don't need to commit to anything by calling — they'll just listen and help you work out what comes next.
Self-assessments aren't a diagnosis. Only a qualified counsellor or clinician can give you that. But they're a useful starting point for an honest conversation with yourself, or with someone who can help.
Tools you already have
Six controls built into every Legiano account.
You don't need permission, you don't need to ask support, you don't need to wait. Every account includes the following tools from day one. Find them in Account → Responsible Gaming.
01
Deposit limits
Set a daily, weekly, or monthly cap on how much you can deposit. Reductions take effect immediately. Increases require a 7-day cooling-off period before they apply — by design, so the decision isn't made in the moment.
02
Loss limits
Set a maximum loss for any rolling 24-hour, 7-day, or 30-day period. Once you hit it, your account is paused for the rest of the period. No exceptions, no overrides.
03
Session timers
Get a popup reminder every 30 minutes, 1 hour, or 2 hours of continuous play, showing how long you've been logged in and how much you've wagered. Easy to dismiss — but harder to ignore than your own internal clock.
04
Reality checks
Periodic summaries — weekly or monthly — emailed to you with your deposits, withdrawals, net win/loss, and time spent. Designed to interrupt the gambler's amnesia where the bad sessions fade and only the wins are remembered.
05
Cool-off periods
Lock yourself out for 24 hours, 7 days, or 30 days. Once activated, you cannot reverse it — even by contacting support. When the period ends, the lock lifts automatically. Use this when you need a circuit-breaker.
06
Self-exclusion
The serious option: 6 months, 12 months, or permanent. Permanent self-exclusion cannot be reversed by anyone. Records are non-deletable so we can enforce it. After self-exclusion, we can't market to you, contact you, or accept a future account from you.
One more option: the Reset app
Reset is a free, confidential app from the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission. It tracks your gambling across multiple platforms, shows you patterns, and connects you to support if you need it. Available on iOS and Android.
National register
BetStop — block yourself from every Australian-licensed online wagering site at once.
BetStop is the Australian Government's National Self-Exclusion Register. One free registration locks you out of every Australian-licensed online and phone gambling service for as long as you choose — three months minimum, up to lifetime. (Note: Legiano is offshore-licensed, so BetStop doesn't cover us. Use our self-exclusion in parallel.)
- 1
Visit betstop.gov.au
The official site is operated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Anything else claiming to be 'BetStop' is a scam — go via betstop.gov.au directly.
- 2
Provide ID
You'll be asked to verify your identity using two pieces of Australian government ID — driver's licence, passport, or Medicare card combination. This stops anyone else from registering on your behalf.
- 3
Choose your duration
Three months, six months, twelve months, or lifetime. Once registered, you cannot reduce or cancel the period before it expires.
- 4
Within 24 hours, all licensed Australian operators block you
Operators receive your details and must block your account, refund any balance, and stop sending marketing within 24 hours. The block is enforced for the full duration you chose.
- 5
When the period ends, the block lifts automatically
There is no deliberate barrier to returning. If you signed up for lifetime, the block never lifts. If you change your mind during a fixed period, you wait it out.
Free, confidential support
Eight organisations across Australia, all free, all confidential.
Every service below is government-funded or registered charity. None of them charge a cent. Calls are confidential — your details aren't shared with anyone, including us.
Gambling Help Online
National · Free · 24/7
The first call to make. National Gambling Helpline staffed by trained counsellors, phone or live chat, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including public holidays. Multilingual support available.
gamblinghelponline.org.au →BetStop
National Self-Exclusion Register
Free official register that blocks you from all Australian-licensed online and phone wagering services in a single step. Run by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. See Section 6 above for the step-by-step.
betstop.gov.au →Gambler's Help Youthline
Under-25s · Free · Confidential
Specialist counselling line for gamblers under 25, where the conversation is tailored to younger callers. Younger gamblers face different pressures — peer dynamics, online platforms, sport-betting culture — and Youthline is built for that.
gamblershelp.com.au →GambleAware NSW
New South Wales
Free face-to-face and phone counselling across NSW, with multilingual and Aboriginal-specific support services. Funded by the NSW Office of Responsible Gambling.
gambleaware.nsw.gov.au →Gambler's Help Victoria
Victoria
Free therapeutic counselling, financial counselling, and self-exclusion assistance across Victoria. Includes services in regional and rural areas.
gamblershelp.com.au →Gamblers Anonymous Australia
Peer support · National
Twelve-step recovery meetings for anyone with a desire to stop gambling. Free, anonymous, no membership fees. In-person meetings around Australia plus online options for remote attendees.
gaaustralia.org.au →13YARN
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander · 24/7
Crisis support line run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Free, confidential, 24 hours, every day. Yarning support for any kind of crisis, including gambling.
13yarn.org.au →Lifeline Australia
National crisis support · 24/7
If gambling has triggered thoughts of self-harm or suicide, contact Lifeline immediately. 24/7 crisis support, phone or text (text 0477 13 11 14). In an immediate life-threatening emergency, call 000.
lifeline.org.au →If it's about someone else
Worried about a friend, partner, or family member?
Watching someone you love struggle with gambling is exhausting, isolating, and often financially scary. You're not alone in it, and there's help that's specifically for you — not just for the gambler.
Talk to them, but choose the moment
Avoid bringing it up in the middle of a session, after a big loss, or during another argument. Pick a calm time. Use specific examples ("I noticed last week...") rather than general accusations ("you always..."). Your goal isn't to win the argument — it's to start a conversation.
Don't take responsibility for their gambling
You can support them, encourage them, listen to them — but you can't gamble for them, or stop them gambling. Lending money, paying off their debts to keep the peace, or hiding it from other family members tends to deepen the pattern, not break it.
Protect your own finances
Separate accounts. Take your name off joint credit cards if necessary. If you share a bank account, set up alerts for unusual transactions. This isn't betrayal — it's keeping your own life from being collateral damage.
Get support for yourself
Living with someone else's gambling is its own kind of stress, and it deserves its own help. The numbers below all support family members directly — you don't have to wait until the gambler is ready.
Support specifically for family and friends:
- Gambling Help Online — Family & Friends: 1800 858 858 — same number as the main line, but ask for the family/friends counsellor.
- Gam-Anon Australia: peer support meetings for family and friends affected by someone else's gambling. gam-anon.org
- MensLine Australia: men's relationship and family support, including for partners affected by gambling. 1300 78 99 78 · 24/7 · mensline.org.au
If gambling has caused debt
Free financial counselling exists. Use it.
Gambling debts compound fast. Late fees, payday loans, credit cards maxed out — it can feel like there's no way back. There almost always is. Free, qualified financial counsellors do this work every day, and they're very good at it.
National Debt Helpline
1800 007 007Mon–Fri 9.30am–4.30pm AEST
Free, independent, confidential financial counselling. They can help with debt negotiation, hardship arrangements, court actions, bankruptcy advice, and a path forward when it feels like there isn't one. Not affiliated with any creditor — they work for you.
ndh.org.au →Money Smart
Online resources · 24/7
Australian Government's free guide to managing debt. Includes a debt hardship template letter, calculators, and step-by-step plans. Run by ASIC, the financial regulator. Useful as a self-help starting point before calling NDH.
moneysmart.gov.au →Mob Strong Debt Help
1800 808 488Mon–Fri 9.30am–4.30pm AEST
Free legal advice and financial counselling specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Run by Financial Rights Legal Centre. Culturally aware, takes time to listen, no judgement.
financialrights.org.au →Salvation Army Moneycare
1800 722 363Mon–Fri business hours
Free financial counselling from the Salvation Army's qualified team. Available across Australia, with face-to-face appointments in many locations. Strong track record helping people through gambling-related debt.
salvationarmy.org.au →Under 18
Online gambling is illegal under 18 — here's how to keep it that way.
Legiano is strictly an over-18 service. We verify age during KYC and close any account opened by a minor immediately. But online platforms can be gamed, so the real protection starts at home — with parental controls and conversations.
For parents and guardians
Most underage online gambling happens with a parent's account, not a fake account. The simplest protection is to keep your login credentials private and never let a minor see you enter them. If a teenager has watched you type your password while you played, change the password. Enable two-factor authentication so a stolen password alone isn't enough.
For broader protection across all sites and apps, the Australian Government recommends parental control software. Several work well:
- Apple Screen Time (built into iOS, iPadOS, macOS) — block specific websites, set time limits, require approval for new app installs. Free.
- Google Family Link (Android, ChromeOS) — equivalent controls for the Google ecosystem. Free.
- Net Nanny — third-party paid software, runs across all major platforms. Includes specific gambling-content category blocks.
- Qustodio — alternative paid option, popular for its detailed activity reports.
If you're under 18 and reading this
Don't register here. Don't use anyone else's account. The risk isn't a small fine — accounts opened by minors are closed and any winnings voided, but more importantly, problem gambling that starts before adulthood is harder to recover from than gambling that starts later in life. The brain's reward system is still developing, and it locks in patterns more permanently.
If you're worried about your own gambling — or about a parent's — Kids Helpline supports anyone 5 to 25 years old, 24 hours a day, free and confidential. 1800 55 1800 · kidshelpline.com.au
If you're going to gamble
Australia's Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines.
Researchers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health analysed gambling data from over 60,000 people to identify the thresholds where harm starts to climb sharply. The guidelines below come from that research. Staying within them doesn't make gambling risk-free — but it significantly reduces the chance of serious harm.
≤ 1%
Of your take-home pay
Spend no more than 1% of your gross household monthly income on gambling. For most Australians on average earnings, that's around $80 per month.
≤ 4 times
Per month
Gamble no more than four times a month. Daily or near-daily gambling is one of the strongest predictors of harm.
≤ 2 types
Of gambling
Stick to one or two types of gambling — slots, sports betting, table games. Mixing four or more product types significantly increases risk.
0
Borrowing or chasing
Don't gamble with borrowed money. Don't try to win back losses. These are the two single strongest signals that a session has gone wrong.
Source: Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines, Greo Evidence Insights, 2021. Endorsed by the Department of Social Services.
Our commitment
What we promise about how we operate.
We don't market to self-excluded players.
Once you've used Cool-off, Self-exclusion, or BetStop, all email and SMS marketing stops within 24 hours. We don't honour you with comeback offers later.
We don't extend credit.
You can only ever play with money you've already deposited. We will never lend you anything, never offer credit lines, and never accept post-dated payment promises.
We display real-time loss totals.
Your total deposits, total withdrawals, and net win/loss are visible from your account dashboard at any time. No hidden trail to dig through.
We train our support team in responsible gambling.
Every support agent has documented training in spotting harm indicators, responding without judgement, and connecting you to specialist support if needed. They're allowed to bring it up — and they do.
We honour limit changes that reduce play immediately.
If you reduce your deposit limit, it's effective immediately, no waiting. Increases require a 7-day cooling-off period — by design, not bureaucracy.
We don't reverse self-exclusion.
Once you've self-excluded, no support agent can shorten or cancel that period — even if you ask, even if you insist. The whole point of the tool is that it's reliable when willpower fails.