Responsible gambling: tools, self-checks, and support for Energy players
Gambling as entertainment, not income
This page is published by the team at Energy – an independent information portal, not a gambling operator. We put it together because responsible gambling information is genuinely useful, and because the tools the platform offers are worth knowing about before you need them.
Gambling works best when it sits alongside other things you enjoy – a session you choose to have, not one you feel pulled into. The moment it starts to feel like a way of making money, relieving stress, or recovering what you have lost, that is the signal to step back. No single spin, hand, or bet changes the house edge, and chasing losses is one of the clearest early signs that something has shifted.
The facts below apply whether you are a regular player or someone just getting started. They are not a lecture – they are practical, and most of them take two minutes to set up.
When it stops being fun
Most people who gamble never develop a problem. But gambling-related harm exists on a spectrum, and it often builds gradually. Recognising the early signs matters more than waiting until things feel serious. Some patterns worth watching for:
- Spending more than you planned, more often than you planned
- Gambling to recover money you have already lost
- Feeling irritable or restless when you try to cut back
- Hiding how much time or money you spend from people close to you
- Borrowing money, or dipping into savings, to fund sessions
- Gambling affecting your sleep, work, or relationships
None of these is a diagnosis, but any one of them is worth taking seriously. The organisations listed further down this page offer free, confidential support – no referral needed.
A short self-check
Ask yourself these questions honestly. There are no right or wrong answers to share – they are for you.
- Have you ever gambled more than you intended to in a single session?
- Do you find yourself thinking about gambling when you are doing something else?
- Have you tried to cut back and found it harder than expected?
- Have you gambled to escape worry, boredom, or a low mood?
- Have you ever lied to someone about how much you gamble?
- Has gambling ever caused tension with a partner, friend, or family member?
- Have you chased losses – kept playing to win back money you have already lost?
- Have you used money set aside for bills or essentials to gamble with?
The Malta Gaming Authority also makes a self-assessment test available through Energy's platform – worth completing if any of the above gave you pause.
Limits you can set with the operator
Energy provides a set of responsible gambling controls that players can activate directly through their account. These sit within the platform itself, so they take effect immediately without requiring a support request for most of them.
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| Deposit limit | Caps how much you can deposit over a chosen period |
| Wager limit | Sets a ceiling on the total amount you can stake |
| Loss limit | Restricts losses within a set timeframe |
| Session time limit | Ends your session automatically after a defined period |
| Self-exclusion (temporary) | Locks the account for 24 hours, 3 days, 1 week, or 30 days |
| Self-exclusion (indefinite) | Closes the account with no set end date |
| Account closure | Permanent closure available by contacting customer support |
The platform also uses an algorithm that analyses player behaviour patterns to flag accounts that may be at risk. Where that flag is raised, a member of the team may reach out to offer support. It is a quiet layer of protection rather than an intrusion – and it runs in the background whether or not a player has set manual limits.
Tips for gambling sensibly
These are not rules – they are habits that keep gambling in its proper place:
- Set a budget before you start, not while you are playing. Decide what you are comfortable losing, and treat it as the cost of entertainment.
- Use deposit limits actively. Setting one in advance removes the temptation to top up mid-session.
- Take breaks. Step away from the screen at regular intervals – session time limits make this automatic if you find it hard to do yourself.
- Never gamble when you are tired, upset, or under financial pressure. Those are the sessions that tend to go wrong.
- Keep other activities in your week. Gambling fills the gaps when nothing else does, and that is when it starts to expand.
Where to find help in the UK
Every organisation below offers free, confidential support – no charge, no referral, no judgement. You do not need to be certain you have a problem to reach out.
- GamCare – the UK's leading support service for anyone affected by gambling harm. www.gamcare.org.uk. National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133 (free, 24/7).
- BeGambleAware – information, tools, and a live chat service. www.begambleaware.org.
- GamStop – a free national self-exclusion scheme that applies across multiple licensed operators at once. www.gamstop.co.uk.
- Gordon Moody – residential and online treatment for people experiencing severe gambling-related harm. www.gordonmoody.org.uk.
Blocking software
If you want a technical barrier between yourself and gambling sites, two free or low-cost tools are worth knowing:
- Gamban (gamban.com) – blocks gambling sites and apps across your devices.
- BetBlocker (betblocker.org) – free, multi-platform, and straightforward to install.
Both can be set up in a few minutes. Neither requires a reason or a referral.
Protecting minors
Access to gambling is restricted to persons aged 18+. If you share a device with a younger person, parental-control software such as Net Nanny or Qustodio can block access to gambling sites at the device level, independent of any account settings.
If you have concerns about a young person's gambling behaviour, GamCare's helpline – 0808 8020 133 – can advise.
For questions about the content on this portal, you can reach the editorial team at [email protected]. We aim to respond within 48 hours. For anything related to an account on the platform itself, contact Energy's customer support directly through the operator's own channels.
Gambling should be entertainment, not a chore.
Everything on this page is informational and promotional in nature – we don't run a gambling operation ourselves. Access is limited to those 18 and over (18+). If gambling ever stops feeling like fun, BeGambleAware.org offers free, confidential support.
Last updated:
Game Providers
