Responsible Gaming Programme

What Is TheLotter’s Policy on Responsible Gaming?

TheLotter encourages a responsible attitude towards gaming. Responsible gaming means staying in control of the amount of time spent on gaming and on the amount of money spent and treating the activity as a form of entertainment as part of a wider, balanced lifestyle. Like many other forms of entertainment, gaming has a monetary element to it and TheLotter advises its customers not to spend more money than they can wisely afford. Furthermore, TheLotter recommends that all customers establish limits for participating in lottery draws, and recommends that they do not turn to lotteries as a source of income or as a way to recoup debt.

What Tools Does TheLotter Offer to Self-Empower Customers to Enjoy Gaming Responsibly?

If you feel that you are using our services in an irresponsible manner or fear you may do so in the future, we encourage you to use the self-limiting tools that we make available on the site. TheLotter offers you the facility to set a Deposit Limit, Spend Limit, Time Limit, Time Out, and Self-Exclusion period. For a short explanation on these tools, please see the relevant sections below. Once you’ve registered an account and selected a payment method you can get additional in-depth information and change the settings of the various tools by visiting the Responsible Gaming tools admin page in the My Account section after logging in.

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Reality Check

When you switch on the automatic Reality Check function you will be reminded at set intervals of how much time and money you’ve spent during that time frame. You can then choose to end your session or return to the game.

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Deposit Limit

With a Deposit Limit you set a maximum deposit cap for yourself for a pre-determined period of time. Once you reach your cap you’ll be unable to deposit more money. No automatic transactions will be made by this feature.

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Spend Limit

You can limit the amount of money you spend within a set period of time by setting a Spend Limit on your account. Once you reach your maximum spending cap, you’ll be unable to spend any more until the end of that period. No automatic transactions will be made by this feature.

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Session Time Limit

When you switch on the Session Time Limit function, you’ll be logged out immediately when you’ve been on the site for a pre-determined amount of time, regardless of what you’re doing on the site at that instant. Any unsaved actions will be lost and if you want to continue playing you need to log back in.

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Time Out

When you opt for a Time Out you will not be able to make any new purchases and you won’t be able to deposit money in your account until the Time Out period you specified expires.

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Self-Exclusion

The Self-Exclusion facility will disable you from performing any action in your account. During a set period of time, specified by you, you will be unable to log in to your account. During this time you won't be able to check your previous entries and you won't be able to place any new orders.

Protecting Minors – The Age Limit for Using TheLotter’s Services

TheLotter and its affiliate sites and brands strictly enforce a minimum age limit for our customers. As a general rule, anyone under the age of 18 years is stringently prohibited from registering an account and using our services. Please note, however, that in some jurisdictions you may still be prohibited from playing lotteries even when you’re already older than 18. In those countries and territories where there is an age limit upwards of 18, local legislation prevails and you are still prohibited from registering an account and using our services. Note that we use sophisticated verification systems which can identify minors who log on to our site.

Recommended Internet Filters for Parents & Guardians

We advocate that parents and guardians try to prevent underage access to online lottery services. We heartily recommend filtering software such as GamBlock, Net Nanny or similar products to block minors from accessing gaming websites, mobile apps and software programs which provide access to unsuitable content, services and features.

How to Recognise Problematic Gaming Behaviour

Problematic gaming behaviour causes harm to the player and those around him or her and no one is entirely immune to the possibility of succumbing to a future gaming addiction. The severity of such an addiction should not be underestimated. Someone struggling with an addiction to online gaming may display signs of stress, depression, anxiety, they may fall behind at work, and they may worry about money.

An addiction to online gaming is often difficult to diagnose. In contrast to, e.g. some people who go through a period of substance abuse, the physical effects displayed by someone who is addicted to online gaming may be entirely absent. Furthermore, what causes an addiction to online gaming is a matter of scientific discussion. Problematic gaming behaviour seems more likely to occur in people whose family members display or have displayed the same type of behaviour. Another factor which seemingly increases the risk is the age at which a person first starts gaming. Additionally, a young gamer’s risk may rise when he or she experiences a big win early on.

Even though scientific research has not conclusively proven definitive causal links, we advise to exercise prudence. Should you or anyone in your family or social circle be affected, TheLotter recommends you seek professional help. Even if you are unsure, it is always best to broach the subject and reach out to a specialist as the possible ramifications of an addiction are very serious!

How to Prevent Problematic Gaming Behaviour – Follow These 9 Essential Steps

In order to most effectively prevent problematic behaviour when gaming, it is of the utmost importance that you remain in control. In order to do so, we recommend you read through the below checklist.

  1. Balance gaming with other activities. Make sure you have other hobbies and interests to occupy your time or else you may spend an unreasonable amount of time on online gaming.

  2. Never think of online gaming as a way to make money. It’s actually designed to work the other way around. Think of gaming as an entertainment expense – like going to the theatre.

  3. Only spend money you can afford to lose. Set an entertainment budget and stick to it.

  4. Don’t game when you are upset. Decision-making can become warped when you are emotionally upset. Game only when you feel happy and well-balanced.

  5. Never drink or use drugs when gaming. Alcohol and drugs can severely impair your judgment.

  6. Set a money limit in advance. Decide how much you can afford to lose before you even start to play. When you’ve spent your gaming budget, you’re done gaming.

  7. Set a time limit in advance. Choose a reasonable timeframe for a gaming session and stick to it. Chances are that the more time you spend gaming, the more money you will lose.

  8. Don’t try to win back any losses. If you lose the set amount of money you chose to play with and then try to win it back before leaving, you haven’t really set a money limit. This pattern will often turn into a vicious circle and thus create more losses.

  9. Take frequent breaks from your gaming activities. Non-stop gaming can lead to you losing track of time.

Before Creating an Account

We recommend that you consider the risks of gaming before creating an account. If you think gaming may not be the best choice for you, we recommend that you seek advice before registering with us. If you’re currently experiencing gaming issues, or have had a gaming problem in the past, we highly suggest that you refrain from playing. If you do find yourself having doubts or second thoughts about creating an account, do not hesitate to reach out to us! We will offer you any support you need and guide you on the best way forward.

How to Check if You’re at a Risk of Developing a Gaming Problem

If you suspect that you may have a gaming problem, we strongly recommend that you consider taking a self-assessment test and urge you to seek help immediately. A Self-assessment test consists of simple questions relating to people with a gaming addiction. These tests can be useful resources for determining whether a person has or is developing a gaming problem. However, the results of these self-assessment tests should be considered as screening instruments only, and they should not be used to self-diagnose oneself. If you suspect that you may have a gaming problem, you should seek help regardless of the outcomes of any self-assessment test you take.

We recommend you take one or more of the tests below if you suspect that you have a gaming problem:

If You Know Someone That May Be at Risk

If you have reason to believe that someone you know has an account with us and may have, or is at risk of, a gaming problem, we recommend that you encourage the individual to contact us via email or Live Chat to seek help. You may also wish to reach out to our customer service team to discuss your concerns, subject to strict confidentiality, both yours and that of the individual. In line with our data protection obligations, we will carry out an accurate check and will do our best to provide support to the individual concerned. There are also online support services that are available to help people affected by problem gambling.

Further Help, Support & Advice on Responsible Gaming

The following websites are meant to help guide you and others affected by problem gambling in the direction of gaming responsibly and provide support for those addicted to and/or affected by problem gambling.