Setting a budget before you play, in a way that holds

Why it has to happen first

Deciding during a session is not the same as deciding before one. Mid-game there is the rhythm of the game and your own mood in the way. A number chosen in advance is an agreement with yourself that you can actually keep.

Working out the number

1. Set a monthly total you are willing to spend on this kind of entertainment.
2. Divide it by the number of sessions you expect. That is the session budget.
3. Divide the session budget by the rounds you want from it. That is the stake.

If the result falls below a game's or a table's minimum, play something else rather than raising the budget to fit.

Setting a stop time

Online games have no natural ending, so the ending has to be imposed. Set an alarm before you start and treat it as the actual end of the session.

Two stopping points work better than one: a losing limit and a winning one. Stopping while ahead is the harder of the two and matters just as much.

Signals to stop

• Raising stakes to recover what has been lost.
• Regularly playing past the time you set.
• Hiding the time or money spent from people close to you.
• Feeling irritated at being interrupted mid-session.
• Playing to escape stress.

If any of these are familiar, stop for the session and read the responsible gaming page.

Limits you can ask for

The support desk can set a maximum deposit for a period, pause an account for a fixed time, or close it permanently. Requests like these are actioned without being questioned.

Ask through the contact page.