Gambling Responsibly — What It Means

Responsible gambling means treating betting as a form of entertainment with an accepted cost — like going to a cinema or a sporting event — rather than a method of making money or coping with stress. It means playing within your means, understanding that the house always has a mathematical edge over time, and recognising when gambling has stopped being fun.

The vast majority of people who bet online do so without developing any problems. However, a small percentage of players do develop harmful patterns. Recognising the difference between recreational gambling and problematic gambling, and knowing that help is available, is what this page is about.

Warning Signs of Problem Gambling

Problem gambling can develop gradually. Below is a self-assessment checklist adapted from the PGSI (Problem Gambling Severity Index), widely used by gambling support organisations. If you answer "yes" to three or more of these questions, we strongly encourage you to seek support:

📋 Self-Assessment Checklist

  1. Have you bet more than you could really afford to lose?
  2. Have you needed to gamble with larger amounts to get the same feeling of excitement?
  3. Have you gone back to try to win back money you lost on a previous occasion?
  4. Have you borrowed money or sold something to get gambling money?
  5. Have you felt that you might have a problem with gambling?
  6. Has gambling caused you any health problems, including stress or anxiety?
  7. Have people criticised your betting or told you that you have a gambling problem?
  8. Has your gambling caused financial problems for you or your household?
  9. Have you felt guilty about the way you gamble or what happens when you gamble?
Answering honestly to yourself is the most important step. If three or more answers are "yes", please see the helplines section below or use Ekbet's self-exclusion tool immediately.

Responsible Gambling Tools on Ekbet

Ekbet provides several self-management tools accessible through your account. To use any of them, log in and go to Account → Responsible Gambling. These limits take effect immediately when set, but increases to limits have a 24-hour cooling-off period before taking effect — by design, to prevent impulsive increases.

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Deposit Limits

Set a maximum amount you can deposit per day, week, or month. Once reached, no further deposits are accepted until the period resets.

Path: Account → Responsible Gambling → Deposit Limits

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Loss Limits

Cap the net amount you can lose in a given period. When your losses reach the limit, your account is restricted from further play until the period resets.

Path: Account → Responsible Gambling → Loss Limits

⌛

Session Time Limits

Limit how long you can stay logged in per session. A reminder notification appears at 75% of your chosen time. At 100%, you are automatically logged out.

Path: Account → Responsible Gambling → Session Limits

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Reality Check

Pop-up notifications shown at regular intervals (every 30, 60, or 90 minutes) displaying how long you have been logged in and your net win/loss for the session.

Path: Account → Responsible Gambling → Reality Check

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Cool-Off Period

Take a short break from betting — 24 hours, 7 days, or 30 days — without permanently closing your account. You cannot log in during a cool-off period.

Path: Account → Responsible Gambling → Take a Break

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Self-Exclusion

A longer-term block on your account, minimum 6 months. Cannot be reversed during the exclusion period. The most powerful tool available if you need to stop immediately.

Path: Account → Responsible Gambling → Self-Exclusion

How to Self-Exclude on Ekbet — Step by Step

  1. Log in to your Ekbet account.
  2. Click your account icon in the top right corner and select Account Settings.
  3. Go to Responsible Gambling.
  4. Select Self-Exclusion from the menu.
  5. Choose a duration: 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, or permanent.
  6. Enter your current password to confirm.
  7. Receive a confirmation email. The exclusion takes effect immediately.

During self-exclusion, Ekbet will not send you marketing communications by email, SMS, or push notification. If you receive promotional messages during an active self-exclusion, report this to Ekbet support as a compliance issue.

You can also request self-exclusion directly by contacting our support team at [email protected] with the subject line "I want to be excluded from Ekbet". Once a support agent receives your request, self-exclusion takes effect immediately. If you choose a permanent exclusion, your account will be cancelled and you will not be able to re-register. You can also reach us by calling or WhatsApp at +63 916 316 2497 to speak with a support specialist directly.

Protecting Young People from Gambling

All Ekbet accounts require age verification (18+). However, we recognise that parents and guardians may share devices with children. The following parental control tools can prevent access to gambling sites:

  • Google Family Link (Android) — allows parents to block categories of apps and websites on a child's device
  • Apple Screen Time (iOS) — content restrictions can block gambling-category websites in Safari
  • Net Nanny / Bark — third-party parental control apps that can filter gambling content across all browsers on the device
  • ISP-level filtering — contact your internet provider about family-safe browsing options

Helplines & Support Organisations in India

If you are struggling with problem gambling, please reach out. All services listed below are free and confidential:

  • 📞
    iCall — Tata Institute of Social Sciences
    9152987821
    Free mental health counselling helpline. Accepts gambling-related distress. Available Monday to Saturday, 8 AM to 10 PM (IST). Counsellors are available in Hindi and English.
  • 🌐
    Gambling Therapy (Online)
    gamblingtherapy.org
    Free online support groups and one-to-one chat with trained counsellors. Available 24/7. Accepts international players including those in India. All sessions are confidential.
  • 👥
    Gamblers Anonymous India
    [email protected]
    Peer support group following the 12-step programme. Groups meet in major Indian cities. Contact via email to find a meeting near you or to connect with a support member online.
  • 📋
    Vandrevala Foundation
    1860-2662-345
    24/7 free mental health helpline covering depression, anxiety, and addiction. Available in multiple Indian languages. Can provide referrals to local counselling services.

Tips for Keeping Gambling Fun

These habits help recreational gamblers stay in control:

  • Set a budget before you start — decide how much you are willing to lose before logging in. Treat it like buying a cinema ticket: gone when it is gone.
  • Never chase losses — a losing streak is not a reason to increase your bets. Trying to "win it back" is one of the most common paths to serious debt.
  • Take regular breaks — stand up, make tea, do something else for at least 30 minutes between sessions. This interrupts the hypnotic "flow state" that gambling can induce.
  • Balance gambling with other activities — if betting is your primary hobby or social activity, that is a warning sign. Maintain relationships, physical activity, and other interests alongside it.
  • Never bet when emotional — losing at cricket is frustrating; betting while frustrated leads to impulsive decisions and larger losses. Log out and return when calm.
  • Understand the mathematics — over a long enough period, most gamblers will lose money. The house edge means the operator has a statistical advantage. Enjoy the entertainment value; do not rely on it for income.