Responsible Gambling: Help, Limits and Self-Exclusion

Gambling should be entertainment that you pay for, never a way to earn money or to win back losses. NBA Bet Hub writes about sports betting, online casinos, poker, sweepstakes casinos, lotteries and horse racing, and every one of those products is built so that the house keeps a margin over time. This page collects the tools and contacts that help you keep gambling within limits you choose, and the places to turn if it has already gone further than that.

Who is allowed to gamble

You must be 21 or older to gamble online in most US states, and 18 or older in a few states and for most lottery and horse-racing products. Age and identity are verified when you open an account, and you must be physically inside a state where the product is legal. Never let a minor use your account, and never try to get around age, identity or location checks.

Get help now

If gambling is causing problems for you or for someone close to you, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537). The line is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and it connects you with counselors and local resources in your state. Many states also run their own helplines and chat services; the regulator's website for your state lists them.

Warning signs

Betting more money or more often than you planned, or chasing losses to "get even".
Borrowing money, selling belongings or missing bills because of gambling.
Hiding gambling from family or friends, or feeling restless and irritable when you try to stop.
Gambling to escape stress, anxiety or low mood, or thinking about gambling most of the day.

Tools that keep you in control

Every licensed US operator offers account tools that you can switch on in a few taps: deposit limits by day, week or month; wager and loss limits; session time reminders; cooling-off periods of a day to several weeks; and permanent self-exclusion. State regulators run statewide self-exclusion programs that remove you from every licensed operator in the state at once, typically for one year, five years or for life. Set limits before you play, not after a losing night, and treat them as fixed.

Resources cited in our research

**National Problem Gambling Helpline**: 1-800-522-4700 (call, text, or chat, 24/7); operated by NCPG. (ncpgambling.org)
**NCPG website**: ncpgambling.org; offers state-level resource directories and self-assessment tools. (ncpgambling.org)
**Gamblers Anonymous**: gamblersanonymous.org; peer-support 12-step program available nationwide.
All licensed US sportsbooks are required by state regulators to offer deposit limits, loss limits, session time limits, and self-exclusion.
**State self-exclusion programs**: For example, NJ's voluntary self-exclusion list is administered by the DGE.
**AGA "Have A Game Plan. Bet Responsibly." campaign**: americangaming.org.

Our commitment

NBA Bet Hub does not recommend offshore or unlicensed gambling sites, does not promise winning systems, and does not address readers under the legal age. Every page on this site shows a responsible-gambling notice, and our editorial policy explains how we check facts. If you believe any page encourages unsafe play, tell us through the About page and we will review it.