Responsible gambling

PocketBet prides itself as an operator that encourages responsible gambling. This page is to inform you of some of the services and tools that are available to make your experience with us as safe and responsible as possible.

How do I gamble responsibly?

  • View gambling as a form of entertainment and not a source of income.
  • Only gamble what you can afford to lose. You can use deposit limits to help manage the amount of money you spend, available on the "settings" page when logged in.
  • Never chase your losses, as this can lead to problems.
  • Monitor the amount of time you spend playing.
  • Balance gambling with other activities. When gambling becomes your only form of entertainment you should stop and consider whether you are still having fun.
  • Take regular breaks from gambling. Gambling continuously can cause you to lose track of time and perspective.
  • Do not gamble when under the influence of alcohol or when you are upset or depressed, as it can impair decision-making.
  • Think about how much time and money you spend gambling. You can keep track of your activity here.
  • Understand your chance of winning and how the product works.
  • Know that if you ever need to talk to someone about problem gambling you can contact a problem gambling support organisation, including those listed below.

Responsible gambling tools

Below we have listed some of the tools we make available to help customers stay in control of their gambling. All of these tools can be accessed at any time from the "settings" page when logged in.

Deposit Limits

By implementing voluntary deposit limits on your account you can prevent yourself from betting more money than you should. When logged into PocketBet you can place a limit on the amount of money that you may deposit into your account within a specified period. These amounts may be revised downwards at any time. However any increase will only be implemented 7 days following the request, allowing the you time to reconsider your decision.

Cool-Offs / Take a break

If you wish to give yourself a break from gambling, a Cool-Off will prevent you from placing bets until the Cool-Off has finished. If a customer wishes to give themselves a rest or time-out from using their account then they have the option to select a time-out for 1 day, 1 week, 1 month or six weeks.

Self-Exclusion

Self-exclusion means that your account will remain closed for a minimum period of 6 months to a maximum of 5 years dependent on the time selected and will not be reactivated during the exclusion period. A written request following the specified time period is required before account re-opening can be considered. Please note that any end of a self-exclusion will be subject to a 24 hour ‘cooling-off’ period. Should you use this function we also encourage you to extend your self-exclusion to any other operators you may bet or gamble with as well as removing yourself from any mailing list or social media pages associated with betting and gaming.

GamStop

If you are considering self-exclusion, you may wish to register with GAMSTOP.

GAMSTOP is a free service that enables you to self exclude from participating online gambling companies licensed in Great Britain.

To find out more and to sign up with GAMSTOP please visit www.gamstop.co.uk.

Organisations offering help and support.

There are several organisations who offer support and education for those at risk of gambling related harm. Below are the details of several of these organisations;

GamCare are a leading national provider of free information, advice and support for anyone affected by problem gambling. If you have concerns about your gambling you can speak to an adviser for free by calling 0808 8020 133. Their website can be found at www.gamcare.org.uk . GamCare also have a useful self-assessment questionnaire which can be found at www.gamcare.org.uk/self-help/self-assessment-tool/

BeGambleAware offer free, confidential help for anyone who is worried about their or someone else’s gambling. If you need help right away you can call or live chat with an Adviser now through the National Gambling Treatment Service. For more information visit www.begambleaware.org

Gamblers Anonymous are a fellowship of people who have joined together to do something about their own gambling problem and help other compulsive gamblers do the same. There are regional fellowships around the world. The Gamblers Anonymous international service site is at www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk

Gordon Moody are a global service providing free practical advice and emotional support to anyone affected by gambling. You can find their website at www.gamblingtherapy.org

If you are looking for further advice regarding personal issues or finance, you may wish to contact one of the below;

  • You can contact citizens Advice at www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
  • You can contact the National Debt Helpline at www.nationaldebtline.org or on 0808 808 4000
  • AnonyMind is an independent mental health, addiction and gambling disorder treatment specialist and one of the few treatment providers approved by the UK Gambling Commission, therefore all assessment and Treatment provided by AnonyMind is free, secure and confidential. Please visit by visiting www.anonymind.com/register/welcome

Online tools

If you wish to monitor or restrict the use of your computers access to the internet, you can use one of the following third-party applications: Cybersitter filtering software allowing parents to add their own sites to block: www.cybersitter.com Net Nanny filtering software protects children from inappropriate web content: www.netnanny.com GamBlock restricts access to online gambling sites: www.gamblock.com We encourage you to review their websites and choose the software best for you.

Limiting Gambling Ads online

BeGambleAware have compiled some useful guidance on how you can limit your exposure to online gambling advertisements. You can find this information at: www.begambleaware.org/limiting-gambling-ads-online

Preventing Underage Gambling

We conduct age verification checks on every single account, to confirm that our customers are 18 or older, and legally old enough to gamble. If we are unable to confirm a customer’s age through electronic checks, we suspend the account and request proof of age documentation.

However, we know children and young people can often use their parents phones, tablets and laptops, and that you might still be logged in to your account and as a result, gaming companies and parents must work together to protect children from underage gaming.

Tips for Protecting Minors:

  • Keep your username, password and deposit details out of reach. Not written down on a post-it stuck to your laptop.
  • Don’t save passwords or use auto-fill on your computer.
  • If there are kids around, always log out of your PocketBet account.
  • Install website blocking software, such as NetNanny, which allows you to control and block access to gambling websites both on PC and mobile.
  • Educate your kids about the legality and potential damage of underage gambling.
  • Limit the amount of time your children spend online.
  • Familiarise yourself with the build in parental tools on your Mobile/Tablet/PC/TV devices
  • If you feel you may have an issue with underage gambling or you just want to learn more. BigDeal, run by GamCare, is an organisation aimed at young people that offers education and support about gambling. See www.bigdeal.org.uk

Protecting your accounts log-in details and your account access is your sole responsibility. Remember, underage gambling is illegal!

Proactive action by us

From time to time we may decide to take proactive action on customer accounts where we believe the customer may be showing indicators they are at risk of gambling related harm. This action may include, amongst other things;

  • Enforcing a deposit limit on your account.
  • Excluding a customer from gambling, similar to self-exclusion but enforced by us.
  • Requesting evidence of a customer’s affordability to evidence they are gambling within their means.
  • Proactive messaging including, Pop-up’s, emails and in some instances phone calls.

Should we take any action on your account, please do not take offence. We are committed to safer gambling and ensuring that gambling is an enjoyable leisure activity and that we protect those at risk from gambling related harm.

For more information on anything within this page you can contact us at support@pocketbet.com.

Version 1.0; Last Updated – 3 April 2023