By Gambling should be entertainment, not a way to make money. If it stops being fun, help is available.
Get help now
Call the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline (1-800-426-2537), available 24/7, or contact:
- Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania — 24/7 helpline 1-800-848-1880
- National Council on Problem Gambling — 1-800-522-4700
- Gamblers Anonymous — gamblersanonymous.org
Know the warning signs
Reach out if you recognize any of these in yourself or someone close to you:
- Chasing losses, or betting more to win back what you have lost.
- Gambling with money set aside for rent, bills or food.
- Borrowing money or selling things to keep playing.
- Hiding how much time or money you spend gambling.
- Gambling to escape stress, boredom or a low mood.
Set your limits before you deposit
Offshore casinos build these controls into your account settings rather than a state register, so set them up the day you join — before your first deposit:
- Daily, weekly or monthly deposit limits so you cannot top up past a set amount.
- Loss and session-time limits, plus reality-check reminders that flag how long you have played.
- Cooling-off periods that lock you out for a few days, or self-exclusion to close the account for months or longer.
Stay in control
- Set a budget and never gamble money you cannot afford to lose.
- Treat the limits above as fixed, not a starting point to raise later.
- Never chase losses.
- You must be 21 or older to play.
Because offshore sites are not part of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board self-exclusion program, these account-level tools and the helplines above are your strongest safeguards. Most casinos in our PA rankings provide them — use them.
Last updated June 2026.