💚 Responsible Gambling – How to Stay in Control

Online casino play is a form of entertainment that millions of people enjoy responsibly. In this guide we walk through how to keep play fun and safe. We cover recognising your own state, the tools casinos provide, Finnish support networks and a concrete self-assessment test.

The signs of problem gambling

Problem gambling isn't always obvious straight away. Typical warning signs include:

• You play more than you originally planned
• You try to win back money you've lost (chasing losses)
• Playing affects your relationships, work or studies
• You hide your playing from those close to you or lie about how much you stake
• You borrow money to play or use money meant for food
• You play to relieve anxiety or stress
• You can't stop, even when you want to
• You think about playing constantly, even when you're not playing

If you recognise three or more of these signs in yourself, it's worth taking the situation seriously and considering getting in touch with a Peluuri support worker.

Self-assessment: a short test

Answer the following questions honestly. The questions are based on the international Lie/Bet screen, the simplest scientific self-assessment for a gambling problem.

1. Have you ever had to hide information about your gambling from your family or friends?
2. Have you ever felt the need to increase the amounts of money you gamble in order to feel the same excitement?

If you answered "yes" to either, we recommend a longer self-assessment on Peluuri's site (peluuri.fi) or getting in touch with their helpline. One "yes" does not mean you have a gambling problem, but it is a clear signal to stop and assess the situation.

Responsible-gambling tools at casinos

All MGA-licensed casinos and those under other EU licences have a statutory obligation to offer responsible-gambling tools. At the casinos we recommend, you'll have access to:

• Loss limits – set a daily, weekly or monthly loss limit. Once the limit is reached, you can no longer deposit or stake.
• Deposit limits – automatically cap your deposits at a set amount per period. The single most effective tool.
• Stake limits – a maximum stake per spin (e.g. €1 on a slot).
• Time limits – the casino reminds you when you've played longer than the time you set.
• Reality check – a pop-up every X minutes shows the time you've played and your net result.
• Self-exclusion – close your account for 24h, 7 days, 1 month, 6 months or permanently. During the exclusion you can't log in to the casino.
• Cooling off – a shorter break without a permanent exclusion.

Recommendation: Set a deposit limit as soon as you open a new casino account – before you make your first deposit. This is considerably easier than trying to "rein in" your playing later in a moment of difficulty.

Peluuri – what it is and how it works

Peluuri is a nationwide support service run by the Blue Ribbon Federation (Sininauhaliitto) and funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Peluuri's purpose is to help people with gambling problems and those close to them – free of charge, anonymously and with no appointment needed.

Peluuri's helpline (0800 100 101) is open on weekdays from 12 to 18. Calls are free from every Finnish connection, and the number doesn't appear on your bill. The phone is answered by a trained worker with experience of gambling problems – often a peer specialist who has recovered from a gambling addiction themselves.

Peluuri's OmaPeluuri self-help programme has been scientifically studied, and around 60% of those who complete the course report a significant improvement in keeping their play under control at the six-month follow-up. The programme is completely free and works anonymously online.

The gambling-harm support network and international self-exclusions

Finland has a gambling-harm support network (Pelisuojaverkosto) that brings together the various actors (Peluuri, the A-Clinic Foundation, the Blue Ribbon Federation, THL and others) to develop help for gambling problems. Through the network you can find information on different forms of support and on local services.

Internationally, one of the most effective tools is GamStop (UK) and similar self-exclusion systems, which block access to hundreds of online casinos with a single registration. Finland has no comparable comprehensive system, but most MGA casinos honour one another's self-exclusion requests.

If you want the most effective block, also use:

• Gamban or BetBlocker – free software that blocks gambling sites on your phone and computer
• Your bank's gambling-transaction block – most Finnish banks (OP, Nordea, Danske, Säästöpankki) offer month-long blocks on casino transactions within the card settings
• Browser Site Blocker extensions

A responsible-gambling checklist

• Set a budget before you play – only use money you can afford to lose
• Never borrow money to play or play on credit
• Take breaks regularly – 30-minute sessions are wiser than sittings of several hours
• Don't play when tired, intoxicated or stressed
• Don't try to win back money you've lost – this is the most common route to a gambling problem
• Keep playing as entertainment, not a way to earn money
• Talk openly about your playing with those close to you – secrecy is a warning sign
• Use the casino's tools: set a deposit limit as soon as you open your account

Someone close to you is playing too much – what to do?

If you're worried about someone close to you who plays too much, you're not alone – a gambling problem affects an estimated 100,000–150,000 people in Finland, but the number of those close to them is many times higher. Peluuri also helps the people around the player, via the same number (0800 100 101) and the chat.

General advice for someone close to a player:

• Don't blame, but be honest about how the playing affects you and the family
• Don't pay off a problem gambler's debts – this enables the playing to continue
• Get in touch with Peluuri yourself – your situation needs support too
• Protect your own finances (separate accounts, credit-card protection)
• Look for peer support from the Pelirajaton service

Summary

Responsible gambling is every player's own responsibility, but help is always close at hand. Finland's support network – Peluuri, the gambling-harm support network, Pelirajaton – offers comprehensive, free and anonymous support to both the player and those close to them. Use the casinos' responsible-gambling tools, set limits for yourself in advance, and remember that playing is entertainment – not a way to earn money.

Help is one phone call away: Peluuri 0800 100 101 (Mon–Fri 12–18, free, anonymous).