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Responsible Gambling NZ [September 2026]: Free Help, Limits & Self-Exclusion
Gambling is entertainment with a negative expected return. That is the honest description, and everything on this page follows from it. Here are the tools that limit exposure, the signals worth taking seriously, and where to get free help in New Zealand — for yourself or for someone else.
By Aroha Tainui, Regulation & Compliance Editor·
Fact-checked by Jordan Whitcombe·Updated 21 September 2026·Next review 20 October 2026This site exists because people gamble online, and we would rather they did it with accurate information than without. That obliges us to be equally accurate about the other side: every operator listed here makes money because players lose more than they win, over time and in aggregate. That is not a criticism of the operators. It is the product.
Where to get help in New Zealand
Every service below is free and confidential. None requires a doctor’s referral. All of them take calls from family members as well as from gamblers.
| Service | Contact | What they offer |
|---|---|---|
| Gambling Helpline Aotearoa | 0800 654 655 · free text 8006 · gamblinghelpline.co.nz | 24/7 phone, text and web chat. Immediate support, brief intervention and referral. Also operates Māori, Pasifika and youth lines. |
| Problem Gambling Foundation | pgf.nz · 0800 664 262 | Free face-to-face and online counselling nationwide, for gamblers and for family and whānau. No cost, no referral. |
| Salvation Army Oasis | salvationarmy.org.nz/oasis | Free counselling and support across New Zealand, including financial mentoring alongside gambling treatment. |
| Mapu Maia | mapumaia.nz · 0800 21 21 22 | Free Pasifika-led gambling harm services for individuals, families and communities. |
| Gamblers Anonymous NZ | Meetings list | Peer support meetings in the main centres and online. |
| Safer Gambling Aotearoa | safergambling.org.nz | Self-assessment tools, information and links to local services. |
| Need to Talk | Call or text 1737 | Free 24/7 mental health and addiction support line. Useful when gambling sits alongside anxiety, depression or alcohol. |
The tools that actually work
Ranked roughly by how hard they are to undo, which is the only measure that matters at the moment you want to undo them.
| Tool | Where | How hard to reverse | Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank gambling block | Your banking app or by phone | 24–48 hours in most banks | High — stops the money at source across every site |
| Device blocking software | BetBlocker (free) or Gamban (paid) | Deliberately difficult | High — but install it on every device |
| Operator self-exclusion | Account settings at each casino | Cannot be lifted early | High for that site; does nothing about the next one |
| Deposit limit | Account settings | 24-hour cooling-off at licensed sites | Moderate — the single best habit to start with |
| Loss limit | Account settings where offered | Same cooling-off | Moderate, and more honest than a deposit limit |
| Session time limit | Account settings | Immediate | Low alone, useful combined |
| Reality check pop-ups | Account settings | Immediate | Low — easy to ignore |
| Multi-venue exclusion | Via DIA or a harm service | Formal process | High for land-based venues; does not cover online |
Setting limits before you need them
A limit set on the day you register is a decision made by a person who has not yet won or lost anything. A limit set after a bad night is a negotiation with yourself. Set them first.
Decide the number away from the site
What could you lose this month without it affecting anything — not your rent, not your savings, not your mood on Wednesday? That is the number.
Set a monthly deposit limit to that figure
Account settings, under responsible gambling or account limits. Every operator here supports daily, weekly and monthly.
Set a session time limit as well
Most harm happens in long sessions, not large single bets. Ninety minutes is a reasonable default.
Turn on reality checks
An hourly pop-up showing elapsed time and net position. Easy to dismiss, but it interrupts the trance.
Never increase a limit on the day you want to
At licensed New Zealand operators from 2027 a 24-hour cooling-off will be mandatory. Apply that rule to yourself now, offshore, where it is not.
Review the numbers every three months
Down is fine. Up should require the same thought as the original decision.
Self-exclusion
Self-exclusion closes your account for a fixed period and cannot be reversed early. It is the right tool when limits have stopped working.
- Do it from account settings, under responsible gambling. It is faster than emailing support and it does not involve a retention conversation.
- Choose the longest period you are willing to choose. Six months is the usual minimum; permanent is available everywhere.
- Withdraw your balance first — some operators return it automatically, others make you ask, and asking after exclusion is more difficult.
- Exclude everywhere at once. Excluding from one site and opening an account at another is the most common failure pattern, which is why a bank block or blocking software should go alongside it.
- Expect marketing to stop. If a site you have excluded from keeps emailing you, that is a breach and grounds for complaint to its regulator.
Blocking software and bank blocks
| Tool | Cost | Platforms | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetBlocker | Free | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | Registered charity. Blocks tens of thousands of gambling sites. Can be set for a fixed period that cannot be shortened. |
| Gamban | Paid subscription | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | Harder to remove than BetBlocker. Often funded free through treatment services — ask. |
| Bank gambling block | Free | Card level, all NZ major banks | ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank and Westpac. Ask in-app or by phone. Usually a 48-hour delay to lift. |
| Router-level DNS filtering | Free options exist | Whole household | Blocks on the home network. Does not cover mobile data. |
Warning signs
These are the behavioural patterns that gambling harm services see most often. They are written as statements rather than questions because that is how they usually present.
Signs things are in proportion
- You gamble for entertainment and stop when the session budget is gone
- You know roughly what you are up or down over a year, because you track it
- You never gamble with money that is committed to something else
- You would be comfortable telling anyone in your life exactly how much you gamble
- A limit or a block feels sensible rather than threatening
Signs worth acting on
- You deposit more than you planned, most times you play
- You gamble to win back what you lost — and the amounts escalate
- You hide it, delete history, or understate the figures when asked
- You have borrowed, used credit, or dipped into money meant for bills
- You feel irritable or restless when you try to cut down
- You gamble to escape stress, boredom, grief or conflict rather than for fun
- You have missed work, study or family commitments because of it
Myths worth discarding
| The belief | Why it is wrong |
|---|---|
| “I’m due a win.” | Every spin and every hand is independent. A pokie has no memory of the last two hundred spins and no obligation to correct. |
| “This machine is hot / cold.” | Outcomes come from a certified random number generator. Streaks are how randomness looks, not evidence of a pattern. |
| “I can win it back.” | Chasing increases stake size at the exact moment judgement is worst. It is the single strongest predictor of serious harm. |
| “A system beats roulette.” | No staking system changes the house edge. Martingale converts many small wins into one catastrophic loss and requires an infinite bankroll to work. |
| “I’m good at this.” | Skill exists in poker and, marginally, in sports betting. It does not exist in pokies, roulette or crash games. Confusing the two is expensive. |
| “A bigger bonus means better odds.” | A bonus is a turnover contract. A 40x requirement typically costs more in expected losses than the bonus is worth. |
| “I’m ahead overall.” | Most people who believe this have not counted. Track every deposit and withdrawal for a month and the question settles itself. |
Support for family and whānau
Gambling harm is rarely contained to the person gambling. Every service listed on this page provides free support to family members, and you do not need the person who is gambling to agree or to know.
- You can call the Helpline yourself. 0800 654 655 takes calls from people worried about someone else, and the conversation is about you as much as them.
- Protect the household finances first. Separate accounts, remove joint access to credit, and speak to the bank — New Zealand banks deal with this regularly and sympathetically.
- Financial mentoring is free. MoneyTalks on 0800 345 123 offers free, confidential budgeting support, and Salvation Army Oasis combines it with gambling counselling.
- Do not cover the debts silently. Services consistently advise that repaying gambling debts without conditions tends to extend the problem.
- Look after yourself. Counselling for family members is free and is not contingent on the gambler seeking help.
What the 2026 regulations require
The Online Casino Gambling Regulations 2026 impose harm-minimisation obligations on operators licensed in New Zealand. These are real improvements and they are worth knowing about, because they will not apply at the offshore sites you can use today.
- Credit cards and credit-linked payment methods banned. Removing the single most harmful funding route.
- Mandatory 24-hour cooling-off before a deposit limit can be removed or increased. Tightening a limit stays instant.
- Autoplay and multi-slot play prohibited. Both are associated with dissociative play and loss of time awareness.
- One account per customer per platform, with robust digital age verification and a minimum age of 18.
- Advertising restrictions, including no sponsorships, no personal endorsements, no affiliate marketing, no portrayal of gambling as an investment or a solution to financial problems, and nothing within 30 minutes either side of a live broadcast.
Until licensed platforms are operating — not expected before 2027 — none of this protects you at an offshore site. The tools on this page do. Full detail on the Act and the timeline.
Responsible gambling — frequently asked questions
Where can I get free help for gambling harm in New Zealand?
The Gambling Helpline is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day on 0800 654 655, or free text 8006. The Problem Gambling Foundation offers free face-to-face and online counselling nationwide, including for family and whānau. Salvation Army Oasis and Mapu Maia (for Pasifika communities) also provide free services. None of these costs anything and none requires a referral.
How do I self-exclude from an online casino?
Every operator on this site offers self-exclusion in account settings, usually under ‘responsible gambling’ or ‘account limits’. You choose a period — commonly 6 months, 1 year, 5 years or permanent — and the account is closed to you for that time and cannot be reopened early. Do it from account settings rather than by emailing support, which is slower and sometimes resisted.
Can I block gambling sites on my devices?
Yes. BetBlocker is free, works on Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, and blocks tens of thousands of gambling sites at the device level. Gamban is paid and harder to remove. Both work in New Zealand. Install on every device, including the one you think you would not use.
Can my bank block gambling transactions?
Yes, and it is one of the more effective steps available. ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank and Westpac all offer card-level gambling blocks on request, and some can be toggled in the banking app. A block that takes 48 hours to lift is a genuine circuit breaker.
What is multi-venue exclusion?
A New Zealand mechanism under the Gambling Act 2003 that lets you exclude yourself from multiple pub and club gaming venues in an area with a single request, rather than venue by venue. It is administered through the Department of Internal Affairs and gambling harm services can help you arrange it. It applies to land-based venues, not offshore online sites.
How do I know if my gambling is a problem?
The reliable signals are behavioural rather than financial. Gambling more than you planned. Chasing losses. Hiding it, or lying about how much. Borrowing to gamble, or gambling with money meant for something else. Feeling irritable when you try to stop. Gambling to escape rather than for entertainment. Any one of these is worth a free, anonymous conversation with the Helpline — you do not have to be in crisis to call.
Can I get money back that I lost while self-excluded?
Sometimes, if the operator let you play after you had self-excluded with them. Licensed operators have obligations to honour exclusions and a breach is grounds for complaint to their regulator. Contact the operator in writing first, then escalate to the licensing authority. We can point you to the right regulator — email [email protected].
What support is there for family and whānau?
Substantial, and it is free and separate from the gambler’s own treatment. The Problem Gambling Foundation, Salvation Army Oasis and Mapu Maia all provide counselling specifically for family members, and the Gambling Helpline takes calls from people worried about someone else. You do not need the person who is gambling to agree, or even to know.