Responsible gaming

Where we stand

socialfunnewzealand cares about pillows, gardens and gondolas, not about getting anyone to place a bet. Our #1 pick makes a wonderful stay without a single visit to its gaming floor. If you still choose to play, a few simple habits help keep it in proportion.

Habits worth keeping

• Learn the minimum age at your destination first; Macau asks for 21 and checks passports.
• Agree a sum with yourself that would not hurt to lose, and leave spare cards locked away upstairs.
• Settle on a time to stop before sitting down, and step outdoors for air now and then.
• A losing streak is not a debt to recover; walk off, and never use borrowed money.
• Tiredness, a gloomy mood or a glass too many should each send you to bed rather than to the tables.

When to pay attention

Repeatedly overshooting the budget, concealing sessions from a partner, or feeling edgy whenever play is impossible are signals worth heeding. Self-exclusion schemes exist at many resorts, and guest services can explain them privately.

Free, confidential support

• Gambling Therapy (gamblingtherapy.org): an online service with chat sessions and moderated forums, multilingual and free wherever you happen to be.
• Gamblers Anonymous (gamblersanonymous.org): a fellowship of people meeting to help one another stop, with groups on most continents.
• Gam-Anon (gam-anon.org): meetings for partners, parents and friends who are coping with someone else's gambling.
• Your local helpline: nearly every nation runs a confidential line at no cost; a GP or pharmacist will usually know it.