Responsible gambling means keeping gambling as a form of entertainment while staying in control of the time and money you spend. It involves setting limits before you start, never chasing losses, and recognising when gambling is no longer enjoyable.

New Zealand's Gambling Act 2003 requires all gambling operators to provide responsible gambling programmes. This includes training staff to recognise problem gambling signs, displaying information about gambling risks, and providing access to support services.

Key principles of responsible gambling include: gambling with money you can afford to lose, setting time and money limits before you start, never borrowing money to gamble, balancing gambling with other activities, and taking regular breaks. If gambling stops being fun or causes stress, it's time to seek help.

New Zealand casinos offer self-exclusion programmes that allow individuals to voluntarily ban themselves from gambling venues. Once enrolled, you cannot enter participating casinos for a minimum period (typically 6 months to 2 years), and staff are trained to enforce the exclusion.

The Multi-Venue Exclusion (MVE) programme allows you to exclude yourself from multiple venues at once, including all SkyCity casinos and other participating gaming venues across New Zealand. This provides comprehensive protection if you feel your gambling is becoming problematic.

Many online gambling sites also offer deposit limits, loss limits, and session time limits. These tools allow you to set daily, weekly, or monthly caps on how much you can deposit or lose, and you can set reminders to take breaks. Once set, these limits cannot be increased immediately, giving you time to reconsider impulsive decisions.

The Gambling Helpline (0800 654 655) provides free, confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Trained counsellors can help whether you're concerned about your own gambling, worried about someone else, or just want information about responsible gambling.

Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand offers free face-to-face counselling services across the country. They provide individual counselling, group programmes, and family support to help people overcome gambling problems. Services are available in multiple languages and are completely confidential.

Additional resources include the Gambling Helpline website (gamblinghelpline.co.nz), which offers online chat support, self-assessment tools, and educational materials. The Health Promotion Agency also provides resources for community groups, workplaces, and families affected by gambling harm.

Warning signs of problem gambling include: spending more time or money gambling than you can afford, borrowing money or selling possessions to gamble, feeling guilty about gambling or lying to hide it, neglecting work, family, or personal responsibilities, and chasing losses by gambling more.

Psychological signs include feeling restless or irritable when trying to cut down, using gambling to escape problems or relieve anxiety or depression, and finding it difficult to stop even when you want to. If you recognise these signs in yourself or someone you care about, support is available.

Early intervention is crucial. If you're concerned about your gambling habits, even if they haven't yet caused major problems, reaching out for support can prevent harm. The Gambling Helpline can provide confidential advice, help you assess your gambling, and connect you with appropriate services.