Safer gambling for table players

• Call, free, 24/7

  0800 006 008

  National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP): free and confidential.

• WhatsApp a counsellor

  076 675 0710

  Ask the NRGP for a counsellor referral by message.

• In crisis right now

  0800 567 567

  SADAG Suicide Crisis Helpline, toll-free, 24 hours.

The South African Responsible Gambling Foundation runs the line. Its counselling is free: after a first assessment, people struggling with gambling are offered a course of outpatient sessions, and family members can get support too, even if the person who gambles is not ready to call. If you are thinking about harming yourself, call the SADAG Suicide Crisis Helpline on 0800 567 567 now; it is toll-free and answers 24 hours a day.

Table games have a rhythm that can hide how much is going through your hands. Take a step back if any of these sound familiar:

• You sit down for twenty minutes and look up two hours later.
• After a losing run you raise your stake "to get it back", or switch to a side bet that pays more.
• You feel a result is "due": a Banker streak must end, or a seven has to come soon.
• Money meant for rent, school fees, groceries or debt ends up in the cashier.
• You borrow to play, or hide how much you play from people close to you.
• You feel restless or short-tempered on days you cannot play.

None of these makes you a bad person. They are signals to pause and, ideally, to make that call.

1. Set the session budget first. Decide in rand what you can lose without it touching essentials, and treat it as the cost of the evening, not money you expect back.
2. Divide it into base bets. A budget split into fifty base stakes lasts far longer than one split into five; pick the table limit to fit the budget, not the other way round.
3. Keep the stake flat. Doubling after a loss does not change the edge; it only makes a bad run end faster and hurt more.
4. Stop at a time, not a feeling. Set an alarm before you start, and leave when it rings whether you are up or down.
5. Never play to fix money worries. Gambling is entertainment that costs money; it is not a way to earn it.

Springbok's responsible gaming page says players can ask for a daily or monthly deposit limit, or self-exclude for a period of their choosing, with a minimum of one month. Both are arranged by contacting Springbok rather than through a self-service switch. This is Springbok's description of its own process; we have not tested it. Support is reachable by live chat on the site and in the lobby, or by email at help@springbokcasino.co.za.

If you set a limit, write down the date and keep the confirmation. If you self-exclude, it helps to tell someone you trust, unsubscribe from casino emails and remove saved logins from your phone so the break is easier to keep.

If a partner, parent or friend is losing control, choose a calm moment, talk about what you have noticed rather than about the games themselves, and offer to sit with them while they call the NRGP on 0800 006 008. Avoid paying off their gambling debts, and look after your own wellbeing: the same free counselling is open to family members. More information is at responsiblegambling.org.za.