Free, confidential help is always available.
HARQUEE is a travel publication. We don't promote gambling — but many of the places we cover have casino floors, and we believe a clear, easy-to-find page on responsible play belongs on any honest site in this category. If you, or someone close to you, needs support, please use the resources below. They are free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
National Problem Gambling Helpline — 24/7 confidential support and referrals to local resources, in over 40 languages.
Call 1-800-426-2537Text the National Helpline to get connected with a trained counselor confidentially via SMS.
Text 800GAMAnonymous one-to-one chat with a counselor, operated by the National Council on Problem Gambling.
Open chat →When play stops being entertainment.
For most adults, occasional casino visits are a form of entertainment, like a concert or a Broadway show. For some, they aren't. The American Psychiatric Association recognizes "gambling disorder" as a treatable condition. If any of the following sound familiar — for you or for someone you know — please reach out for support.
Six rules for a healthier stay-and-play.
Set a budget — and write it down.
Decide before you arrive how much you're willing to spend on the casino floor. Treat it as the cost of entertainment for the trip, in the same way you'd budget meals or a show ticket. Don't move money mentally from another category.
Set a time limit.
Casino floors are designed to feel timeless. Set a watch alarm, or arrange to meet someone for dinner. When the alarm goes off, leave the floor — even if you're "doing well."
Don't chase losses.
Losses are the price of the entertainment. They are not a balance to be recovered. The single most reliable predictor of escalating gambling harm is chasing.
Don't gamble alone.
Travel with a friend or partner, and tell them your budget. A second set of eyes is the simplest, most effective form of support.
Take real breaks.
Eat meals away from the floor. Go to the pool. Walk a museum exhibit. The point of a resort vacation is the resort.
Use the tools that exist.
Every U.S. casino operator offers voluntary loss limits, time limits, and a self-exclusion program. State regulators run separate, statewide self-exclusion lists. Ask at the cashier's cage, or look up your state's program.
For you, or for someone you love.
ncpgambling.org
gamblersanonymous.org
gam-anon.org
Find your state
1-800-662-HELP (4357) · samhsa.gov
Call or text 988 · 988lifeline.org
You are not alone. Problem gambling affects millions of Americans. It is treatable. Reaching out is not weakness — it's the bravest, smartest move in the deck. If you've read this far, that part of you is already at the table. Make the call.