Responsible Gambling

Basic rules

Set a budget before you start and never exceed it.
Never gamble with money needed for essentials, or with borrowed money.
Never chase losses by increasing your stakes.
Set time limits and take regular breaks.
Do not gamble under the influence of alcohol or medication, or while emotionally distressed.
Treat the money staked as the price of entertainment, not as an investment.

Warning signs

Gambling for longer or with more money than you planned.
Hiding your gambling from family or friends.
Borrowing money or selling possessions in order to gamble.
Feeling irritable or anxious when you are not gambling.
Neglecting work, studies or personal relationships.
Gambling to escape problems, stress or low mood.

Tools at licensed operators

Every SRIJ-licensed operator is required to offer deposit limits and session time information. Most also provide loss limits, wager limits, temporary cooling-off periods and self-assessment tests.

Limit reductions take effect immediately. Increases are subject to a reflection period imposed by regulation.

Self-exclusion

The SRIJ operates a central self-exclusion register. Once registered, you are blocked from every operator licensed in Portugal simultaneously, for the period you choose. It is the single most effective measure for anyone who wants to stop.

The request can be submitted online on the SRIJ website or made in person with any licensed operator.

Where to get help

Support is free and confidential. You do not need to wait for a crisis before asking for help.

Gambling should be entertainment — never a source of income

If you feel you have lost control, free and confidential help is available. You can set deposit and session limits with any licensed operator, or request self-exclusion through the SRIJ, which applies simultaneously across every operator licensed in Portugal.