Responsible Gambling
Gambling involves financial risk. It should never be treated as a means of earning money and a promotion or offer can be more costly than one anticipates. If the problem of gambling begins to become more difficult to manage, a course of action and means of support are available and reaching out for help is always the right thing to do and not a last resort.
Need Help With Gambling?
Current Gambling Commission guidance lists the following contact details:
0808 8020 133
0808 2819 265
What Does Responsible Gambling Mean?
Responsible gambling comes down to a few practical habits. It is about how much you can lose and still be happy and not gambling the money as it comes into your hands. It is knowing when to quit even if the session didn't go as you’d hoped. It is the realization that all gambling results are unpredictable, which is the nature of gambling in the first place. And it means never putting money at risk on something that you need for your rent, bills or food, no matter how briefly.
Gambling Is Not a Way to Make Money
This is worth stating plainly, since it's easy to lose sight of amid promotional language. Every casino game carries genuine financial risk, and no bonus or promotion guarantees a profit, regardless of how it's marketed.
This point matters particularly here, since this site covers MrQ's no-wagering promotions in detail, and it's important not to let that feature get confused with something it isn't. No wagering doesn't mean no risk. It changes what happens to winnings if you win, not whether you'll win in the first place. A winning session, however good it feels in the moment, doesn't guarantee anything about your long-term results either.
Practical Ways to Stay in Control
Set a Spending Limit
Decide before you start gambling how much you're willing to lose, and stick to it when it's time to call it quits.
Set Time Limits
Plan the time you will play for and don't play for too long or longer than the session you have planned.
Never Chase Losses
Don't increase your spending in an attempt to recover money you've already lost. It's the human instinct but it's usually worse than better.
Avoid Borrowing to Gamble
Never use credit, loans or funds that are required for household bills for gambling, even for the short-term, which you plan to pay back later.
Take Regular Breaks
Step away from continuous play every so often, rather than gambling for extended, uninterrupted stretches.
Review Your Gambling Activity
Look at your actual spending and time records rather than relying on memory, since it's easy to underestimate both without checking. The Gambling Commission currently highlights tools that help manage both gambling time and money, and using your account's own history is a good place to start.
Safer Gambling Tools
Deposit Limits
These let you cap how much you can add to a gambling account over a set period, helping prevent overspending before it happens.
Spending / Financial Limits
Broader financial limits, where available, help you control overall gambling spend beyond just deposits.
Time-Outs
A time-out lets you take a short, temporary break from an account without a longer-term commitment.
Reality Checks
These interrupt a session periodically with a summary of time spent and money wagered, helping you notice patterns that aren't obvious while you're playing.
Account History
Reviewing your account's activity record gives you an accurate picture of your actual gambling behaviour over time, rather than relying on your own recollection.
We only describe MrQ's specific versions of these tools once we've checked them against MrQ's current published terms, since exact features can vary and change.
Self-Exclusion With GAMSTOP Online
GAMSTOP Online is a free self-exclusion service. It applies across participating, GB-licensed online gambling operators rather than just one account, and it prevents access for whichever exclusion period you select. The Gambling Commission requires licensed online gambling businesses to participate in GAMSTOP Online, so registering once covers all participating operators at the same time.
Visit GAMSTOP Online →Bank Gambling Blocks
Many banks now offer ways to restrict gambling-related payments directly through their own systems, usually via a banking app or by contacting the bank directly. The Gambling Commission specifically includes blocking gambling payments through a bank among its recommended safer-gambling tools.
We won't recommend a specific bank here unless we've verified the exact feature and its availability, since these tools vary between providers and change over time.
Signs Gambling May Be Becoming Harmful
A few patterns are worth paying attention to:
- Spending more money or time than you originally planned
- Chasing losses by increasing bets to try to win money back
- Hiding gambling activity from family, friends or a partner
- Borrowing money to fund gambling
- Gambling interfering with work or study
- Gambling affecting personal relationships
- Thinking about gambling constantly, even when you're not doing it
- Feeling unable to stop, even when you want to
- Attempting to bypass a self-exclusion you've already set up
Noticing one of these occasionally doesn't necessarily point to a serious problem. But if a few sound familiar, or they've become more common, then it may be a real indicator that it's time to seek help.
What to Do if Gambling Is Causing Concern
There are a few simple measures you can take:
- Stop playing for a period of time so you have some space from the situation.
- Establish or lower financial limits.
- Think about self-exclusion if it helps to create a larger barrier.
- If you're struggling to stop yourself, use banking blocks.
- Talk to someone you trust about what you're experiencing and how you're feeling.
- Reach out to professional support to get guidance specific to your situation.
Free and Confidential Gambling Support
National Gambling Helpline
Reachable on 0808 8020 133 for England and Scotland, or 0808 2819 265 for Wales. Both lines are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
GAMSTOP Online
For self-exclusion across multiple online gambling operators at once, rather than one at a time.
NHS Support
NHS gambling treatment services are available in parts of the UK, including a dedicated 24/7 helpline and treatment service for Wales. Check current NHS resources in your area for the most relevant local service.
If You Are Worried About Someone Else
If you're a partner, family member or friend concerned about someone's gambling, avoid trying to diagnose them yourself. Professional support exists specifically for this, and it's generally more effective than an informal assessment from someone close to the situation.
Setting your own financial boundaries may be appropriate if shared money is at risk, and it's worth knowing that support services also assist family members and friends affected by someone else's gambling, not just the person gambling directly.
If You Have Self-Excluded
This website should not be used as a way to find routes around self-exclusion or gambling controls. If you've self-excluded from MrQ or any other operator, or registered with GAMSTOP, that decision deserves to be respected rather than worked around.
Our Terms page already states that users who are self-excluded, or who are trying to bypass self-exclusion, shouldn't use this site for that purpose. If you're finding it hard to stick to a self-exclusion you've set up, that's worth raising directly with one of the support services listed on this page.
How theMrQ Approaches Gambling Content
All content on this site is written for an 18+ audience. We don't publish guaranteed-winning claims, gambling predictions, or "risk-free gambling" language of any kind. Promotion restrictions are explained rather than glossed over, safer-gambling support is included where relevant, and we don't encourage readers to try to recover losses. Gambling harm resources are kept visible throughout the site rather than buried at the bottom of a single page.
For more on our broader content standards, see our Editorial Policy.
Is theMrQ a Gambling Operator?
No. theMrQ is an independent guide, not MrQ and not any other gambling operator. You cannot create an account here, no deposits are accepted here, and no games are hosted on this site. Our team has no access to MrQ accounts of any kind.
If you have an account-specific issue, that needs to go directly to MrQ's own support team. This is already stated clearly on our Terms and Contact pages.
FAQs
What is responsible gambling?
Responsible gambling means staying within limits you've set for yourself, treating gambling as entertainment rather than income, and recognising when it's becoming harder to control.
How can I set gambling limits?
Most licensed operators offer deposit limits, time-outs and reality checks through account settings. Set these before you start playing, based on what you can genuinely afford.
What is GAMSTOP Online?
A free self-exclusion service that blocks your access across participating GB-licensed online gambling operators at once, rather than one at a time.
Can I self-exclude from all online casinos?
Yes, GAMSTOP Online covers participating operators licensed in Great Britain through a single registration, rather than requiring you to exclude from each one individually.
What should I do if I keep chasing losses?
Stop gambling for a period, set stricter limits or self-exclude, and speak with a professional support service. Chasing losses tends to escalate rather than resolve on its own.
Is gambling a way to make money?
No. All gambling carries genuine financial risk, and no promotion or bonus structure changes that, including no-wagering offers.
Where can I get free gambling support?
The National Gambling Helpline (0808 8020 133 for England and Scotland, 0808 2819 265 for Wales) is free and available 24/7. GAMSTOP Online and NHS gambling treatment services are also available.
Can theMrQ close my MrQ account?
No. We're an independent guide with no access to MrQ's systems or customer accounts. Account-specific requests, including closures or self-exclusion, need to go directly through MrQ.