Responsible Gambling Policy

Staying in control, and where to get help

MayfairCasino.com is an independent guide. We don't operate gambling accounts, accept deposits, hold player funds, or run any games. This page explains the responsible-gambling tools that UK Gambling Commission-licensed operators are required to offer, and the independent UK support services that anyone affected by gambling harm can contact for free.

For most people gambling is a pastime. For a small minority it can stop being fun and become a problem. The earlier that's recognised, the more options there are.

If you need help now

• GAMSTOP: the UK national self-exclusion scheme. One free registration at gamstop.co.uk blocks access to every UKGC-licensed online gambling site for a chosen period of six months, one year, or five years.
• National Gambling Helpline (run by GamCare): free, confidential, 24/7. Call 0808 8020 133 or chat via gamcare.org.uk.
• BeGambleAware: charity that funds independent treatment and advice. Visit begambleaware.org.
• NHS National Gambling Clinic: free specialist treatment for people experiencing gambling harm in England. Referral details at nhs.uk.

Spotting a problem

If you suspect gambling may be taking over your life or someone else's, the GamCare self-assessment questions are a good place to start. Examples include:

1. Do you stay away from work, college or school to gamble?
2. Do you hide the amount you gamble from friends or family?
3. Do you gamble to escape boredom or unhappiness?
4. Have family or friends ever criticised your gambling?
5. Have you lied to cover up the time or money you've spent on gambling?
6. After losing, do you feel you have to win back your losses as soon as possible?
7. Do you gamble until your last penny is gone?
8. Have you lied, stolen or borrowed to get money for gambling or to pay a gambling debt?
9. Do arguments, frustrations, anger or disappointments make you want to gamble?
10. Do you feel depressed or even suicidal because of your gambling?

The more 'yes' answers, the more useful it is to talk to someone. GamCare's National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 is free and confidential.

Self-excluding from UK gambling sites

The single most effective tool for stopping online gambling in the UK is GAMSTOP. One free registration applies across every UKGC-licensed online operator. Choose a six-month, one-year, or five-year exclusion, and during that period UKGC-licensed operators are required to block account creation and play. GAMSTOP does not cover offshore-licensed casinos, crypto operators, or US sweepstakes sites; for blocking access at the device level, see the parental and blocking tools section below.

UK land-based casinos and betting shops run their own self-exclusion schemes. The SENSE scheme covers UK casinos; the Multi-Operator Self-Exclusion Scheme (MOSES) covers betting shops.

Operator-side tools

UK Gambling Commission-licensed operators are required by their licence to offer all of the following from the point an account is registered. You'll find these inside the operator's account, often labelled "Responsible Gambling" or "Safer Gambling":

• Deposit limits: daily, weekly, or monthly caps. Reductions take effect immediately; increases require a 24-hour cooling-off period and a re-confirmation step.
• Loss limits and session time limits at most operators.
• Reality checks: on-screen reminders at an interval you set, summarising session time and net spend.
• Time out: a temporary break of between 24 hours and six weeks.
• Self-exclusion: an operator-level block of six months to five years, separate from GAMSTOP.

International, crypto, and US sweepstakes operators reviewed elsewhere on this site sit under different (and often weaker) regulatory frameworks. The tools they offer vary; each review records what's actually available.

Parental and blocking tools

If you share a device with under-18s or want to block gambling sites at the device level, several third-party tools are available. Gamban and BetBlocker are the two most widely used dedicated gambling blockers; both are free or low-cost and cover desktop and mobile. Net Nanny and Gamblock are alternatives.

A note on language

Older versions of this page used operator language ("our games", "your account", "our Customer Service team"). That language is wrong for an independent guide. We don't run accounts and we don't hold funds, so the right thing to do is point you at the regulator, the operator's own responsible-gambling pages, and the independent UK support services above. If anything on this site reads like it was written by an operator, please email [email protected] and we'll fix it.