Responsible Gambling: Help, Limits and Self-Exclusion

Live dealer games are entertainment that costs money, and the house keeps an edge on every bet. If gambling stops feeling like a choice, help in the United States is free, confidential and open around the clock: call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738).

This page lists the helplines, self-exclusion programmes and account tools available to US players, explains which of them reach offshore casinos and which do not, and sets out the limits we suggest for live play. Updated October 2026.

Get help now

The National Council on Problem Gambling adopted 1-800-MY-RESET on 29 January 2026. Calls reach its National Problem Gambling Helpline Network, a single point of access to 24 contact centres across the country staffed by trained professionals, and the old number 1-800-522-4700 remains active. Many state agencies also run their own lines; the NCPG site lists them by state.

Warning signs to take seriously

Gamblers Anonymous publishes twenty questions to help people judge whether gambling has become a problem, and says most compulsive gamblers answer yes to at least seven. Some of the signs it describes:

• losing time from work or study because of gambling;
• chasing losses, or betting to pay debts;
• borrowing money or selling possessions to keep playing;
• an urge to return as soon as possible after a win or a loss;
• using gambling to escape worry, boredom or unhappiness;
• playing longer than planned, or until the last dollar is gone.

One yes is not a diagnosis. Several are a reason to talk to someone, and the helplines above take calls from people who are only unsure.

Why live dealer games need their own limits

Live tables feel slower and more social than slots, yet they still move quickly. Evolution quotes about 48 seconds for a standard baccarat round and 27 seconds for Speed Baccarat, and its Speed Roulette takes about 25 seconds per spin. At $25 a hand on a speed table, that is well over $2,000 wagered an hour.

The cost of that action is the house edge. On a banker bet at eight-deck baccarat the edge is about 1.06%, so $2,000 of action costs around $21 an hour on average, before any bad run. Side bets and multiplier games cost more. Our game guides show the edge for each bet; use them to choose stakes you can afford for the whole session, not just the first few hands. Bonuses add pressure too: most exclude live games, and chasing a rollover target can keep you playing longer than you planned.

Limits we suggest

1. Set a session budget before you log in and treat it as spent. Do not top it up during the session.
2. Use a timer. Live tables have no natural break between rounds.
3. Keep gambling money separate from bills and savings, and never gamble with credit. Several large state-licensed operators stopped taking credit cards in 2025 and 2026, and card issuers often treat casino deposits as cash advances.
4. Decide in advance what you will do with a win, such as withdrawing half, so a good night does not turn into chasing a bigger one.
5. Stop when it stops being fun. Losses are the price of entertainment, not a debt to recover.

Self-exclusion in states with licensed online casinos

Where online casinos are licensed, the state regulator keeps a self-exclusion list and every licensed operator must block the people on it. As of October 2026, seven markets are live (New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island); Maine legalised a tribal-only market in January 2026 (LD 1164) that has not launched.

Michigan’s database lets you exclude yourself from every licensed online operator in the state in one application, rather than site by site, and your name is removed automatically when the period ends.

Tools inside your casino account

State-licensed online casinos must offer responsible gaming features. Look in the account or “responsible gaming” settings for:

• Deposit limits by day, week or month;
• Time limits and reality checks that remind you how long you have played;
• Cool-off periods from a day to several weeks;
• Self-exclusion from that operator, separate from the state list.

Offshore casinos, including the US-facing sites we review such as Bovada, Ignition, MyBookie and BetOnline, hold no US state licence and are not connected to any state self-exclusion list. Some offer limits or account closure, often only by request to support. If you want to stop, ask each site in writing to close your account permanently and keep a copy of the reply. No US regulator can enforce that request for you.

Blocking software and payment blocks

BetBlocker is a free tool, run by a registered charity, that blocks access to tens of thousands of gambling websites and apps on phones and computers. Paid alternatives such as Gamban work the same way across several devices. Blocking software is most useful in the first weeks after you decide to stop, when urges are strongest.

Ask your bank or card issuer whether it can block gambling transactions. Gambling payments carry their own merchant category code (7995), which is what such blocks rely on. Crypto transfers to offshore sites are not caught by card blocks, so self-exclusion and blocking software matter more if you have used crypto.

Age limits

All seven states with live online casinos require players to be at least 21. Offshore sites set their own rules: many accept players from 18, and MyBookie requires 21. Parents can use the same blocking tools on family devices, and every operator we list requires identity checks before a withdrawal.

Outside the United States

• United Kingdom: the National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare, on 0808 8020 133, plus live chat and WhatsApp, free 24 hours a day. BeGambleAware also lists local support services.
• Ontario, Canada: ConnexOntario on 1-866-531-2600, 24/7, covering gambling as well as mental health and addictions.
• Elsewhere: your national gambling regulator’s website usually lists a helpline and self-exclusion scheme.

Our commitments

Every money page on Live Casino Reports carries the national helpline, states the house edge where we discuss a game, and avoids claims that a strategy or bonus can make gambling profitable. We do not knowingly target anyone under 21 or anyone who has self-excluded. Read how our ratings work on How We Rate, and our editorial and affiliate policies on the About page.

Frequently asked questions

What is the national problem gambling helpline number in the US?

Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738). The National Council on Problem Gambling adopted the number on 29 January 2026; it connects to a network of 24 contact centres, is free and confidential and runs 24 hours a day. The older number 1-800-522-4700 still works, and there is a text service at 800GAM.

How do I self-exclude from online casinos in my state?

In states with licensed online casinos, the regulator runs a self-exclusion list that every licensed operator must honour. New Jersey and Pennsylvania offer one year, five years or lifetime; Michigan’s Responsible Gaming Database offers one or five years. Offshore casinos are not connected to these lists, so you must also close those accounts directly.

Can I self-exclude from offshore casinos?

Only one site at a time. Ask each operator’s support team, in writing, to close your account permanently, and keep the reply. Blocking software such as BetBlocker, which is free, adds a second barrier on your devices.

What is the legal gambling age for online casinos in the US?

State-licensed online casinos require players to be 21 or older. Offshore sites set their own minimum, often 18, although MyBookie requires 21. Whatever a site allows, playing from a state where it is not licensed means no regulator protects you.

Where can family members get help?

Family members can call the same helplines, which support people affected by someone else’s gambling. Gam-Anon runs meetings for spouses, relatives and friends of compulsive gamblers.

I am outside the US. Who can I contact?

In the UK, the National Gambling Helpline run by GamCare is free on 0808 8020 133, 24 hours a day. In Ontario, Canada, ConnexOntario answers on 1-866-531-2600. Elsewhere, search for your national gambling helpline or the regulator’s safer-gambling page.