For most people who gamble, a casino session or a cricket bet is occasional entertainment with a known cost. For some, that cost slowly grows into something harder to control. This page explains how to keep gambling within limits you choose, how to notice when it is drifting, and where people in India can find confidential help.
Start with the right expectations
Gambling is a paid form of entertainment, and the money you stake is its price. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time the operator rather than the player comes out ahead. It should never be treated as income, an investment or a way to repay debts.
Only adults aged 18 or over should take part, and only where it is allowed. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 is national legislation that prohibits offering, advertising and facilitating payments for online money games across India, and states have their own gambling laws, so check what applies to you.
Warning signs to take seriously
Problem gambling rarely starts suddenly. It tends to appear as small changes in behaviour that are easy to explain away. The following signs deserve attention, especially when several appear together:
- Spending more money or time than intended, again and again.
- Increasing stakes to recover earlier losses.
- Borrowing money or selling belongings to keep playing.
- Keeping deposits or sessions secret from family and friends.
- Feeling restless or irritable when unable to gamble.
- Using gambling to escape worry, loneliness or low mood.
- Falling behind on sleep, work, studies or family life.
Practical limits that help
Limits work best when they are set in advance, at a calm moment, rather than during a session. Pin-Up's account settings or its support team are the places to request the tools below. If a particular setting is not visible, support can explain what is available for your account.
- Deposit limit. A ceiling on deposits per day, week or month – the simplest safeguard, best set when the account is opened.
- Loss limit. A maximum net loss for a chosen period; if the account lacks one, a written personal budget does the same job.
- Session limit. A time cap or reminder that breaks up long sessions.
- Cooling-off. A short, fixed pause during which the account cannot be used.
- Self-exclusion. A longer block for when other limits are no longer enough.
A short self-assessment
The questions below are not a diagnosis, but they give an honest snapshot. Think about the past year and answer each one with a simple yes or no:
- Have I bet more than I could really afford to lose?
- Have I needed larger stakes to get the same excitement?
- Have I returned to gambling to win back money I had lost?
- Have I borrowed or sold anything to get money for gambling?
- Have people close to me criticised my gambling?
- Have I felt guilty about the way I gamble?
- Have I tried to stop or reduce my gambling without success?
One yes is a good reason to tighten your limits. Several suggest that a break, together with a conversation with someone you trust or a counsellor, would be wise.
Taking a proper break
When limits stop working, a break gives space to reset. Self-exclusion is requested through Pin-Up's account settings or support, and a longer period tends to be more effective. It also helps to remove casino apps, delete saved passwords, unsubscribe from promotional messages and ask your bank whether gambling transactions can be blocked. Telling a trusted person about the decision makes it easier to keep.
Where to find help in India
Talking to someone is often the most important step. These services offer confidential support:
- Tele-MANAS, the national mental health helpline: call 14416 or 1-800-891-4416, free of charge, 24 hours a day, every day of the week.
- iCall, a psychosocial helpline: 9152987821, Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 8 pm.
- Gambling Therapy, an international online service with free support for people affected by gambling and for their families.
If anyone is in immediate danger, call the emergency number 112.
Supporting someone else
If a friend or relative seems to be struggling, raise it gently and without blame, at a calm moment. Offer practical help, such as sitting with them while they request self-exclusion, and avoid lending money for gambling debts. Family members can contact the services above for advice of their own.
For account tools such as limits and exclusion, the contact page explains safe ways to reach Pin-Up's support.