Responsible Gaming

Play for fun, not for money

Real-money games are designed as entertainment, with a built-in house edge that favours the platform over time. The healthiest mindset is to treat any money you stake as the price of that entertainment — like a movie ticket — and any winnings as a nice surprise, not an expectation. If you are playing to "make money" or to recover losses, that is a warning sign, not a strategy.

Practical ways to stay in control

Warning signs to watch for

Consider taking a break or stopping if you notice any of these:

• Spending more money or time than you planned, repeatedly.
• Chasing losses, or borrowing money to keep playing.
• Hiding your play from family or friends.
• Feeling anxious, irritable or low when you are not playing.
• Neglecting work, studies, sleep or relationships because of gaming.

Tools that can help

• Deposit and time limits — set them before you start, not after.
• Cooling-off / self-exclusion — if the app offers a break or self-exclusion option, use it when you need distance.
• Turn off promotions — reduce temptation by opting out of promotional nudges where possible.
• Talk to someone — sharing the problem with a trusted person makes it easier to manage.

A quick self-check

Ask yourself these questions honestly. The more you answer "yes" to, the more it is worth taking a break:

• Have I spent more than I planned to in the last month?
• Have I tried to win back money I lost by playing more?
• Have I played longer than I intended, more than once?
• Have I felt guilty, anxious or secretive about my play?
• Has playing affected my sleep, work, studies or relationships?

This is not a diagnosis — it is a prompt. Even one honest "yes" is a good reason to set firmer limits or step away for a while.

Where to get help

If gambling is affecting your money, mood or relationships, please reach out for support. Free, confidential help is available from problem-gambling helplines and mental-health services in India and internationally. If you or someone you know is in immediate distress, contact local emergency services or a mental-health helpline right away. Asking for help early is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Worried about someone else?

If a friend or family member seems to be struggling with gambling, you can help without judgement: raise it calmly and privately, focus on how it is affecting them rather than the money, and encourage them to set limits or take a break. You can also suggest practical steps such as device-level app blockers or spending controls, and point them to a helpline. You cannot force someone to change, but showing that you have noticed and that support is available makes a real difference.