Responsible Gambling

Gambling as Entertainment

Gambling should be treated as a paid form of entertainment, not as a job, investment strategy or dependable way to improve your finances. Every gambling product involves the possibility of losing money, and no pattern, system or previous result can guarantee what will happen next.

Decide in advance whether gambling is something you genuinely want to include in your trip. A hotel stay can be built around accommodation, dining, spa treatments, pools, live music, theatre, sightseeing and time with other people. Casino participation is always optional.

Keep the experience in proportion to the overall travel budget. The amount spent on gambling should never reduce the money available for accommodation, transport, meals, bills, savings or family responsibilities.

Adults Only

Casino facilities in Australia are restricted to adults aged 18 and over. Venues may require current photographic identification and may refuse entry where age, identity, behaviour or dress requirements are not satisfied.

Accommodation at a hotel does not automatically give every guest access to a casino floor or gaming lounge. A property may have separate entry points, opening hours, age checks and conditions for specific facilities.

Adults travelling with children or teenagers should plan supervision and age-appropriate activities before arriving. Never ask a person under 18 to place a bet, collect winnings, hold a gambling account or enter an adults-only area.

Contact the relevant property directly for its current identification requirements and rules for non-gambling areas.

Set a Spending Limit

Choose a maximum gambling amount before entering a venue. The limit should be an amount that can be lost without affecting rent, mortgage payments, food, utilities, transport, debt repayments, medical needs or the remainder of the holiday.

Separate the gambling amount from essential funds. Some people find it helpful to use a fixed amount of cash, leave credit cards in a secure place, disable gambling transactions through their bank or ask a trusted travel companion to help maintain the plan.

• Set the limit while calm and before consuming alcohol.
• Do not increase the limit because the session began with a loss.
• Treat any winnings as uncertain and avoid immediately recycling them into further play.
• Record expenditure honestly, including cash withdrawals and card transactions.
• Stop when the planned limit is reached, even if the visit has been shorter than expected.

A limit is useful only when it is followed. If you repeatedly exceed it, take a longer break and consider speaking with a gambling counsellor.

Set a Time Limit

Long sessions can reduce awareness of time, spending, tiredness and emotion. Decide on a finishing time before play begins and set a phone alarm or another clear reminder.

Schedule non-gambling activities around the visit. A dinner reservation, theatre performance, spa appointment, harbour walk or meeting with friends creates a natural stopping point and keeps gambling from becoming the centre of the trip.

Take regular breaks away from the gaming area. Use the break to drink water, eat, check expenditure and ask whether the experience is still enjoyable. Continuing only because you have already spent time or money is not a good reason to keep playing.

If you lose track of time, miss planned activities or remain in the venue much longer than intended, consider this a warning sign and take a meaningful break.

Never Chase Losses

Chasing losses means continuing or increasing gambling in an attempt to recover money already lost. It is a common pathway to greater financial harm because each new bet remains uncertain.

A loss does not make a future win “due”. Gambling outcomes are not corrected by persistence, a change of table or a larger stake. Money already lost should be treated as spent, not as a debt that the venue or next game must return.

When the planned limit is reached, leave the gaming area. Do not visit an ATM, borrow from another person, transfer money from savings or use credit to continue.

Avoid Gambling Under Stress

Stress, grief, loneliness, anger, fatigue and financial pressure can make gambling feel like an escape. These states can also reduce judgement and make it harder to follow time or spending limits.

Avoid gambling when affected by alcohol, medication or other substances that impair decision-making. Alcohol can increase impulsivity and make losses feel less immediate.

Choose another activity when you are distressed: leave the venue, speak with someone you trust, rest, eat, take a walk or contact a professional support service. Gambling does not resolve the underlying problem and may add financial or relationship pressure.

If gambling has become the main way you cope with difficult emotions, confidential counselling can help you develop safer alternatives.

Do Not Borrow Money to Gamble

Never borrow money to gamble. This includes loans from friends or family, credit card advances, payday loans, overdrafts, money intended for bills and funds belonging to another person or business.

Borrowing converts an entertainment expense into a debt that may continue long after the session ends. Interest, fees and repayment pressure can make the financial consequences much larger than the original loss.

Do not sell possessions, delay essential payments or access long-term savings in order to continue gambling. If money is already tight, the safest gambling budget is zero.

If gambling has affected debt repayments or essential expenses, stop gambling and contact a free financial counsellor rather than attempting to recover the money through further play.

Recognising Warning Signs

Gambling harm can develop gradually. A person does not need to lose a particular amount before seeking help. The effect on wellbeing, relationships, work and finances is more important than a label.

• Spending more money or time than planned.
• Trying repeatedly to win back losses.
• Hiding gambling, transactions or debts from other people.
• Borrowing money, selling possessions or missing essential payments.
• Feeling restless, irritable or anxious when trying to stop.
• Thinking about gambling for much of the day.
• Missing work, study, family commitments or travel plans.
• Using gambling to escape stress, sadness or loneliness.
• Continuing after gambling stops being enjoyable.
• Experiencing conflict, sleep problems, shame or hopelessness connected with gambling.

One warning sign can be enough to justify a break. Early support is often easier than waiting until the situation becomes a crisis.

Taking a Break

A short break can mean leaving the gaming floor, ending the session for the night or choosing another hotel activity. A longer break may involve avoiding gambling venues, removing apps, unsubscribing from promotional messages and asking a bank about gambling transaction blocks.

Tell someone you trust about the decision. Practical support can include changing travel plans, managing access to money, attending a counselling appointment or spending time together away from gambling environments.

Replace the time with specific activities rather than leaving an empty gap. Exercise, hobbies, entertainment, social contact and planned travel experiences can help create a different routine.

If you cannot maintain a break alone, professional support and formal self-exclusion are available.

Self-Exclusion Options

Self-exclusion is a formal process that restricts access to gambling facilities or services for a selected period. Australian venues and gambling providers operate their own procedures under applicable state or territory rules.

Ask the relevant casino's responsible gambling or guest services team for confidential information. The process may involve an application, identity verification, photographs, nominated venues, a minimum exclusion period and conditions for any later revocation or return.

Self-exclusion works best as part of a broader plan. Consider financial controls, counselling, support from trusted people, blocking software and changes to travel or social routines.

Do not attempt to enter an excluded venue or use another person's account. Contact the provider if the scope of the exclusion is unclear or if additional venues need to be included.

Support Services

Free and confidential help is available across Australia for people concerned about their own gambling and for family members or friends affected by someone else's gambling.

You can speak with a general practitioner, psychologist or community health service as well. Support can focus on reducing or stopping gambling, understanding triggers, rebuilding routines, managing relationships and planning practical safeguards.

You do not need to wait for severe financial loss before contacting a counsellor. A confidential conversation can be useful when you are simply uncertain about whether gambling is taking too much time, money or attention.

Information for Friends and Family

Gambling harm can affect partners, children, parents, friends and colleagues. You may feel angry, worried, confused or responsible for fixing the situation. Support is available for you even if the person who gambles is not ready to seek help.

Choose a calm time to speak and describe specific effects rather than arguing about labels. For example, mention a missed payment, unexplained absence or broken agreement. Avoid discussing money while either person is highly distressed or affected by alcohol.

Set boundaries that protect your own wellbeing. Do not lend money for gambling, cover up serious consequences or give access to accounts that place household funds at risk. Consider independent financial and legal advice where assets or debts are shared.

In an immediate safety situation, prioritise personal safety and contact the appropriate emergency service.

Financial Harm and Emergency Support

If gambling has affected rent, mortgage payments, food, utilities, transport or debt repayments, stop gambling and seek qualified financial support. Further gambling is not a safe strategy for solving a cash shortfall.

A financial counsellor can help you understand debts, prioritise essential expenses, communicate with creditors and consider available hardship options. They do not lend money and should not charge for the helpline service.

Keep records of debts, bills, income and gambling transactions, but do not delay asking for help because the records are incomplete.

Mental Health and Immediate Safety

Gambling-related distress can sometimes involve panic, depression, relationship conflict or thoughts of self-harm. These feelings should be taken seriously.

If there is an immediate risk of harm, call emergency services on 000 or go to the nearest emergency department. If it is safe to do so, stay with a trusted person and reduce access to money, gambling services, alcohol and other immediate risks.

A gambling counsellor can support gambling-specific concerns, while a doctor or mental health professional can assess broader emotional and medical needs. Seeking urgent support is a practical safety step, not a failure.

Casino Environment and Alcohol

Casino environments are designed for entertainment and may include lighting, sound, continuous activity, limited natural time cues and easy access to food or alcohol. These features can make it harder to notice how long you have stayed.

Keep track of time independently and alternate alcoholic drinks with water or non-alcoholic options. Never make spending decisions when intoxicated.

Leave if you feel pressured, uncomfortable, tired or unable to think clearly. Venue staff may also refuse service or entry when a guest appears intoxicated or behaves unsafely.

Online and Mobile Gambling Controls

Hotel casino information and online gambling are different services, but many people use both. Mobile access can increase frequency because gambling is available outside a physical venue.

Useful controls may include deleting apps, turning off notifications, unsubscribing from promotions, using device blocking tools, setting deposit limits and asking a bank whether it offers gambling transaction blocks.

Do not open new accounts to avoid a limit or exclusion. If you find yourself switching providers to continue gambling, treat that as a warning sign and contact a support service.

Planning a Safer Hotel Stay

Before travelling, decide which parts of the hotel experience matter most. Book dining, wellness, sightseeing or entertainment activities in advance so the trip has a clear structure beyond the casino.

• Set a complete holiday budget, including accommodation, meals and transport.
• Choose a separate and smaller gambling limit, or decide not to gamble.
• Agree on a finishing time with a travel companion.
• Carry only the payment methods needed for the plan.
• Know where to find the responsible gambling desk and venue exit.
• Keep the Gambling Helpline number available.

A well-planned stay should remain enjoyable even when no gambling takes place.

Contact the Relevant Hotel

Each featured property is responsible for its own casino entry rules, responsible gambling programme, staff training, exclusion process, identification requirements and venue-specific support information.

Contact the hotel directly before travelling if you need information about accessibility, non-gambling routes through the property, age restrictions, self-exclusion or assistance for a guest who is concerned about gambling.

During a visit, ask for the responsible gambling manager, guest services team or security staff if immediate venue assistance is required.

Information for Group Organisers

People arranging a group stay, conference or celebration should not pressure participants to gamble. Make the casino component optional and communicate non-gambling activities clearly.

Avoid competitions or group arrangements that reward higher gambling expenditure. Ensure that guests understand age restrictions and can leave the gaming area without losing access to accommodation, dining or the wider event.

If alcohol is served, provide food, water and clear transport options. A group organiser should know how to contact hotel staff if a participant appears distressed or intoxicated.

Final Responsible Gambling Reminder

Gambling should remain optional, limited and affordable. Set money and time limits before play begins. Never chase losses, borrow money or use funds needed for essential expenses.

Take regular breaks and stop when gambling is no longer enjoyable. If following a limit has become difficult, step away and contact a confidential support service.

For venue-specific information, contact the relevant hotel. For general questions about this page, contact AussieCasinoGetaways at [email protected].