What is Responsible gambling?

Measures include deposit, loss and time limits, reality checks, time-outs, self-exclusion, affordability checks, staff training to spot signs of harm, and limits on game design features. Operators are expected to monitor behaviour and intervene when risk indicators appear, for example rapid increases in spending or gambling late at night.

Terminology has shifted. Some regulators and researchers prefer 'safer gambling' or 'harm prevention', arguing that 'responsible gambling' places the burden on the individual rather than on operators and product design. The Netherlands uses the term duty of care, or zorgplicht.

Safer gambling obligations are now a central part of licence conditions in most regulated markets and a common basis for enforcement action. Independent research and evaluation are increasingly used to test whether specific tools work.