Smart & Safe Gaming

Last updated: May 2025

At Grow Ventra, using gaming services should always feel light, balanced and under your control. This page shares simple guidance, tools and support contacts to help you stay safe and recognise when your activity may be causing harm.

1. What “Smart & Safe” Means

Smart & safe use of gaming platforms is about:

• Staying in charge of your time and spending
• Understanding the risks before joining any site that uses your own funds
• Keeping this activity in balance with work, family, health and rest
• Asking for support early if something starts to feel wrong

It is always your decision whether to join any platform. Our role is to remind you to make clear, honest choices that protect your wellbeing.

2. Core Principles

Entertainment First

• Treat this activity like going to the cinema or a night out.
• Accept that any money used is the cost of entertainment.
• Do not use it as a way to deal with debt, stress or financial pressure.
• Do not treat it as a plan, job or solution for your budget.

Clear Limits

• Set a weekly and monthly amount you are comfortable losing without problems.
• Use only spare funds — never money for rent, food, transport, medicine, education or family needs.
• Use tools on licensed platforms to set limits on deposits, spending and time.
• Respect your own limits, even if you feel tempted to ignore them.

Emotional Balance

• Take part only when you feel calm, rested and clear-headed.
• Avoid using gaming services when upset, lonely, bored, stressed or under the influence of alcohol or other substances.
• Keep other areas of life active: hobbies, movement, friends, study, work, rest.
• When this activity becomes your main escape from problems, it is a warning sign.

Honest Self-Check

• Keep track of how much time and money you use.
• Talk to someone you trust if you feel control is slipping.
• If you start hiding activity, changing stories or deleting traces, treat this as a serious signal to pause and seek support.

3. Warning Signs to Watch For

Look out for these signs in yourself or someone close to you:

Money signs

• Regularly going over your planned entertainment budget
• Using borrowed money, credit cards or loans to keep playing
• Delaying important payments to continue using gaming services
• Hoping that “one good session” will fix money problems
• Hiding statements or lying about where money has gone

Behaviour and feelings

• Finding it hard to stop once you start
• Thinking about platforms or sessions most of the day
• Skipping work, study, social time or rest
• Arguments with family or friends about time or money spent
• Feeling guilt, shame, stress or hopelessness afterwards

Health and mental state

• Trouble sleeping, constant worry or irritability
• Loss of interest in usual activities
• Using gaming services to block emotions or avoid real issues
• Thoughts like “nothing will improve” or self-harm — this needs urgent help

If several of these apply, it is important to slow down, take a break and speak with a professional or support organisation.

4. Practical Ways to Stay in Control

Licensed UK platforms provide tools to support safer behaviour. Use them early, not only in crisis.

Money controls

• Decide your overall monthly entertainment budget in advance.
• Consider using a separate account only for leisure spending.
• Set caps for deposits and total spend on each account.
• Do not raise your limits during emotional or impulsive moments.

Time controls

• Choose in advance how long you will stay active.
• Use timers, alarms or built-in reminders.
• Plan other tasks or plans before and after sessions.
• Keep regular days with no gaming activity at all.

Life balance check

• Ask yourself: is this activity fitting around work, study, family, sleep and health?
• If any of these start to suffer, reduce or pause immediately and seek advice.

5. Blocking and Self-Exclusion Options

If you feel control weakening, technical blocks can provide strong protection and time to recover.

GAMSTOP (UK-wide self-exclusion)

• Free service that can block your access to participating UK-licensed interactive platforms for a chosen period.
• Apply at: gamstop.co.uk
• Options typically include 6 months, 1 year or 5 years.
• Use correct personal details so the block works effectively.

Tools on individual platforms

• Short “time-out” options
• Longer self-exclusion periods
• Limits on deposits, spending and session duration
• Reality checks and on-screen reminders

Activate these tools as soon as you feel uncomfortable — you do not need to “wait until it gets worse”.

Device and app blocking software

Specialist software can restrict access to certain sites and apps across your devices, such as:

• Gamban
• BetBlocker

These tools are helpful if you want extra barriers or are actively working on recovery.

6. Support Services in the UK

If you are worried about yourself or someone else, reach out. Help is free and confidential:

• GamCare – Information, live chat, helpline and counselling
  Helpline: 0808 8020 133 (24/7, free)
  Website: gamcare.org.uk
• Gamblers Anonymous – Peer support groups and meetings
  Website: gamblersanonymous.org.uk
• Gordon Moody – Intensive support for serious cases
  Website: gordonmoody.org.uk
• BeGambleAware – Guidance, tools and links to help
  Website: begambleaware.org
• NHS services – Professional support for related mental health and behaviour
  Speak to your GP, visit nhs.uk, or call 111
• Samaritans – Emotional support in crisis
  Phone: 116 123 (24/7, free)
  Website: samaritans.org

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact emergency services right away.

7. How Grow Ventra Fits In

• Grow Ventra is an independent information and comparison hub.
• We do not operate gaming platforms, do not hold player accounts and do not process payments.
• We highlight licensed providers, transparent conditions and tools that support safer behaviour.
• We always recommend checking full terms, limits, protection options and support sections on each provider’s official website.