Why responsible gambling matters
Gambling should be entertainment – a bit of fun when you fancy it, not a way to make money or solve financial problems. 888 offers thousands of slots, live dealer games and sports betting, but none of it works as it should if the experience stops feeling like a choice. This page covers the warning signs worth watching for, the questions worth asking yourself, the tools the operator provides, and where to turn when gambling stops being fun.
The minimum age for all gambling activity in the UK is 18+. If you share a device with anyone younger, parental-control software such as Net Nanny or Qustodio can block access to gambling sites entirely.
Warning signs: when gambling gets out of hand
Problematic gambling rarely announces itself loudly. The shift happens gradually, and the signs are often clearer to someone else than to the person experiencing them. These behaviours are worth noticing:
- Spending more time or money than you intended, repeatedly
- Chasing losses – depositing again to try to win back what you've lost
- Lying to family or friends about how much you've gambled
- Borrowing money, selling possessions, or neglecting bills to fund gambling
- Gambling when you're stressed, anxious or low, as a way to escape
- Irritability or restlessness when you try to cut down or stop
One or two of these on a bad day does not mean you have a problem. A pattern of several, over weeks or months, does.
A few questions to ask yourself
These are not a diagnosis – they are a prompt. Answer honestly, and if more than two or three feel uncomfortably familiar, it is worth talking to someone.
- Do you gamble to escape worry, boredom or loneliness?
- Have you lied about how much time or money you spend gambling?
- After losing, do you feel you must return as soon as possible to win it back?
- Have you gambled money you could not afford to lose?
- Has gambling caused arguments with people close to you?
- Do you feel guilty or anxious about your gambling, but find it hard to stop?
- Have you missed work, study or other commitments because of gambling?
- Have you borrowed money or sold anything to fund gambling?
If you answered yes to several of these, the support organisations below offer free, confidential help – no judgment, no pressure.
888's control tools
The operator provides several tools to help you stay in control. All of them are accessible through your account settings once you are logged in.
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| Deposit limits | Set a maximum you can deposit per day, per week or per month. The operator states you can adjust these at any time. |
| Reality checks | An alert notification that suspends play and shows how long your session has lasted. You decide when the reminder appears. |
| Account history | View your gaming activity – wins and losses – for up to the last 180 days. Seeing the actual figures can be sobering. |
| Reversing withdrawal preferences | Turn off your ability to cancel a pending withdrawal. If you turn it back on, the change takes seven days to take effect – a cooling-off period built in. |
| Take a break | Suspend your account for one day, two days, seven days, 14 days, one month or six weeks. You cannot log in during that time. |
| Self-exclusion | Close your account for six months or longer. This is not reversible until the period ends. |
Good to know: if you self-exclude with 888, consider also registering with GamStop (gamstop.co.uk), a free national scheme that blocks access to all UK-licensed gambling sites in one go. It covers operators you have not signed up with yet, which a single-site exclusion cannot do.
Tips for gambling sensibly
These are practical habits, not rules – small adjustments that help keep gambling in proportion.
- Set a budget before you start, and treat it as the cost of entertainment. Never gamble with money earmarked for rent, bills or food.
- Set a time limit and stick to it. The reality-check tool above can help with this.
- Never chase losses. The urge to deposit again after losing is the most dangerous moment. Walk away instead.
- Do not gamble when you are upset, anxious or under the influence of alcohol. Decisions made in that state rarely feel right the next day.
- Take regular breaks. Gambling for hours at a stretch makes it harder to think clearly about whether you are still enjoying it.
- Keep other hobbies going. If gambling is the only thing you do for fun, it is easier for it to take over.
Where to find help in the UK
If gambling is causing you distress, or if someone close to you is struggling, several organisations offer free, confidential support. You do not need to be in crisis to contact them – early help is often the most effective.
GamCare provides emotional support, information and practical advice through its National Gambling Helpline (0808 8020 133, free, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week) and via live chat at gamcare.org.uk. Trained advisers will listen without judging, and can help you work out a plan that suits your situation.
BeGambleAware (begambleaware.org) offers online tools, guides and a directory of treatment services across the UK. The site also runs a live chat service if you would rather type than talk.
Gordon Moody (gordonmoody.org.uk) provides residential treatment programmes and online support for people whose gambling has become severe. The charity has been working in this field since 1971.
GamStop (gamstop.co.uk) is a free self-exclusion scheme that blocks your access to all gambling sites licensed in Great Britain. You choose the length – six months, one year or five years – and it covers every operator in the scheme, not just the ones you have accounts with.
Blocking software
If you want to remove temptation entirely, two apps can block gambling sites across all your devices:
- Gamban (gamban.com) works on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. It is a paid service, but BeGambleAware sometimes covers the cost for people who need it.
- BetBlocker (betblocker.org) is free and open-source, and works on the same platforms. It blocks tens of thousands of gambling sites and apps, and you can set it so only someone else can turn it off.
Protecting minors
All gambling on this platform is restricted to adults aged 18 and over. If you share a computer, tablet or phone with anyone younger, consider installing parental-control software. Net Nanny and Qustodio both allow you to block access to gambling sites by category, so a child or teenager cannot reach them even if they try.
A final thought
Gambling works as entertainment only when it stays optional. The moment it stops feeling like a choice – when you gamble because you feel you have to, or because you cannot think about anything else – it has crossed a line. Recognising that line is hard to do alone, which is why the organisations above exist. Reaching out is not an admission of failure; it is the first sensible step.
If you have questions about the content on this site, write to the editorial team at [email protected]. For questions about your account, deposits, withdrawals or bonuses, contact the operator directly through the support channels on its own platform.
This page is for information and marketing purposes only. We are not a casino operator, a bookmaker or an organiser of gambling. Access to this content is restricted to persons aged 18 and over (18+). We encourage you to gamble responsibly – for free, confidential support visit BeGambleAware.org.