Responsible gambling and an offshore casino
Six questions to ask yourself
Answer "yes" or "no" to each point, thinking about the last few months:
- you bet more than you planned in order to feel the same excitement;
- after a loss you come back to win it back;
- you hide from your family how much time or money goes on gambling;
- gambling takes time meant for work, study, sleep or family;
- you have borrowed money or sold things to top up your account;
- you feel irritable when you try to take a break.
Two or more "yes" answers are a reason to stop and talk to a specialist. One is a reason to review your own rules of play.
Limits you set for yourself
An offshore operator is not obliged to meet the Ukrainian regulator's player protection requirements, so relying on its settings alone is unwise. The most reliable limits are the ones you control yourself.
| Limit | How to apply it |
|---|---|
| Monthly budget | Decide on an amount you are ready to lose entirely and keep it on a separate card with no credit limit. |
| Time | Set a timer on your phone before a session and close the tab when it goes off. |
| Daily loss | Once you reach the limit, play is over for the day — no "one more try". |
| Limits in the account | If the operator offers a deposit limit or a time-out, switch them on as extra protection, not the only one. |
Loans and credit ads in the casino lobby
Online casino pages sometimes carry advertising for loans and credit cards. Gambling with borrowed money is one of the fastest ways into debt: interest is added to the losses, and the urge to "win it all back" pushes you towards new bets. If you have to take out credit to top up your account, gambling is already out of control. Do not take out loans for gambling and do not store credit card details in your browser.
Applying at PlayCity: from 6 months to 3 years
In Ukraine you can file a self-exclusion request on the website of the regulator PlayCity. A person is entered in the register for a period from 6 months to 3 years, and licensed gambling organisers are obliged to keep that person from playing.
Why the register will not stop an offshore operator
The online casino we write about is not in the PlayCity register and is not connected to the state self-exclusion system. Your request will not block an account with such an operator. So after entering yourself in the register, also close your own account at the offshore casino through its support service, delete saved passwords, unsubscribe from mailings and install a gambling site blocker on your devices.
Age of participation: 21
In Ukraine gambling is allowed from the age of 21, and the operator's rules likewise admit only persons aged 21 and over. If there are minors at home, do not leave casino sessions open on shared devices.
Helpline and online counselling
- (0800) 100-065 — the free PlayCity hotline.
- Gambling Therapy — an international online support service for people with a gambling problem and those close to them.
- A psychotherapist or addiction specialist where you live: gambling addiction is treated like other addictions.
If you are worried about someone close to you, do not take on their debts and do not give them money "one last time". Instead, suggest calling the helpline together.