Responsible gambling
Gambling should cost what entertainment costs. If it is costing more than that, these services are free and confidential.
Get help now
Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858 — 24 hours, free, confidential. The same number answers in every state and territory; online chat and email counselling run 24/7 at gamblinghelponline.org.au.
If you are in immediate danger, call 000. For crisis support at any hour, Lifeline is on 13 11 14 (or text 0477 13 11 14).
Gambling help services by state
Every state and territory funds its own counselling service. Most answer on the national 1800 858 858 number and route you locally; the NT service has its own freecall line as well. All are free.
| State | Service | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| VIC | Gambler’s Help | 1800 858 858 |
| NSW | GambleAware | 1800 858 858 |
| QLD | Gambling Help Queensland | 1800 858 858 |
| WA | Gambling Help WA (Centrecare) | 1800 858 858; Perth office (08) 9325 6644 |
| SA | Gambling Helpline (Gambling Harm Support SA) | 1800 858 858 |
| TAS | Gamblers Helpline Tasmania | 1800 858 858 |
| ACT | ACT Gambling Support Service | 1800 858 858 |
| NT | Amity Community Services, Darwin | 1800 684 372 or (08) 8944 6565; 1800 858 858 after hours |
Self-exclusion and blocking
BetStop (betstop.gov.au) is the national self-exclusion register. It covers licensed Australian online and phone wagering — roughly 150 bookmakers and betting providers — for a period you choose, from a minimum of three months up to a lifetime; you can extend it but not shorten it. It does not reach offshore casinos, because they are not licensed here, and it does not cover pubs, clubs or casinos in person. For the sites reviewed on TeleVega, self-exclusion means using each casino’s own account tool.
Blocking software closes the gap BetStop leaves. BetBlocker (betblocker.org) is free, run by a Scottish registered charity, and blocks more than 450,000 gambling sites and around 1,900 apps across phones, tablets and computers. Gamban (gamban.com) is a paid subscription after a seven-day trial and blocks gambling sites and apps on every major platform; Gambling Help Online lists both, and notes that most of this software carries a cost.
Bank gambling blocks. CommBank, NAB, ANZ and Westpac each let you switch off gambling transactions on your cards from the app, with a wait of up to 72 hours before the block comes off again. Which banks offer one, where the switch is and what it misses is in our guide to banks that block gambling transactions.
Money and debt
The National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 (weekdays 9:30am–4:30pm, web chat 9am–8pm) connects you to a free financial counsellor. It is a not-for-profit service run by Financial Counselling Australia; financial counsellors are not debt-consolidation salespeople and do not charge.
Tools every casino on this site offers
Deposit limits (daily, weekly, monthly), loss limits, session reminders, time-outs of 24 hours to 6 weeks, and permanent self-exclusion. If a casino we list removes these tools, it is removed from the site.
Signs to watch for
Chasing losses, gambling with money set aside for bills, hiding how much you play, and feeling restless when you are not gambling. If two of these sound familiar, call the number above; it is what it is there for.