Responsible Gaming

Most people who play at BetMac have a good time and walk away when they mean to. For a few, though, gambling turns into something harder to handle. We take that seriously. This page is here for exactly that reason: the warning signs, the tools we give you, and the people to call when you need them.

Here is the plain truth. Gaming can be fun, but you will not always win. Losing is part of it, every time. So play with money you can spare, never with money you cannot. And keep an eye on the clock, because gambling has a way of blurring how much time and cash have actually gone. That is where we try to help.

Do you play too much?

Spotting a problem in yourself is hard. The line moves slowly, and you rarely notice the day it shifts. Run through these and answer honestly:

• Do you skip work or study to gamble?
• Do you play to escape boredom or a low mood?
• When the money’s gone, do you itch to get back in straight away?
• Do you keep going until the last penny is gone?
• Have you lied about the time or money you put in?
• Have you borrowed, or worse, to keep playing?
• Have friends, family or hobbies slipped away?
• After a loss, do you feel you have to win it back now?
• Have you ever thought you might have a problem?

Mostly yes? That is worth taking seriously. Set some firm limits, step back for a while, and talk to one of the organisations at the foot of this page. One honest conversation goes a long way.

Do you need to cool off?

Worried about how much you are playing? Use the Time Out option on our site. A day, a week, a month, whenever you feel it. A short pause, and sometimes that is all it takes.

One thing to know: once a Time Out is on, you cannot switch it off from the site yourself. Anything to do with your account in that window has to go through our support team, on chat or by e-mail at [email protected]. That is on purpose, so a shaky moment cannot undo the break you asked for.

Are you worried about your children?

Share a computer with someone under age? Then keep your usernames, passwords and banking details well out of reach. There is software that helps too. Net Nanny and Cyber Patrol are two names worth a look.

A parental filter can shut the door on this kind of site before it even opens. And never leave your login where a child might stumble onto it. That part matters more than it sounds.

18+

No one under 18 may open an account or gamble with us. Full stop. We can ask any customer for proof of age, and we may freeze an account until we get it.

This is not box-ticking. Gambling in the UK answers to the UK Gambling Commission, and as a licensed operator we hold that age line firmly, no exceptions.

Where to find help

It is free, it is confidential, and none of these are tied to us:

• GamCare runs the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, free, round the clock, with live chat and counselling
• GAMSTOP, the free national scheme that blocks you from UK-licensed gambling sites and apps
• BeGambleAware for clear, practical advice on safer gambling
• Gamblers Anonymous, peer support groups all over the UK

Reaching out early changes things, for you and for the people near you. The first step is the hard one, that single call or message. Take it anyway, even before things feel serious. Especially then.