Help lines, limits and warning signs for slot players

Talk to someone now

• NRGP counselling line0800 006 008Free and confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• NRGP on WhatsApp076 675 0710Ask for a counsellor referral
• SADAG Suicide Crisis Helpline0800 567 56724-hour toll-free crisis line

You do not have to be in crisis to call. The South African Responsible Gambling Foundation, which runs the programme, offers free counselling after an assessment, and family members can call to ask how to help someone. If you are thinking about harming yourself, call the SADAG line now.

Signs that slots are taking over

• You open the lobby to win back what you lost the day before.
• You claim each new coupon mainly to keep playing. A R250 chip at 60x means R15,000 of bets before any withdrawal.
• You raise your stake to chase a feature or a "due" win. Slot results are random, and no pattern changes that.
• You play when stressed or late at night, and you hide how much.
• You borrow, or use money meant for rent, food or debt.

One of these is reason enough to call.

Limits and self-exclusion at Springbok

Springbok's responsible-gaming page (read 9 October 2026) describes two tools of its own: a daily or monthly deposit limit, and self-exclusion for a period you choose, of at least a month. Both are arranged by contacting Springbok rather than switched on in your account.

In practice that means asking its support team, by live chat or email to help@springbokcasino.co.za. Springbok does not describe self-service limit settings, so ask in writing and keep the reply. A month is the shortest break it offers; choose longer if you are unsure.

A budget that keeps slots a pastime

Slots take money quickly, because every spin settles in seconds. A budget set before you open the lobby is the simplest protection there is.

• Start from spare money. Pay rent, food, transport and debt first. What is left over after the month's essentials is the most a session can ever cost.
• Split it into sessions. One deposit for one evening, not the month's budget in one go. When it is gone, the session is over.
• Set a timer. A phone alarm after 30 or 60 minutes is a reminder to stand up, look at the balance and decide calmly whether to stop.
• Keep a simple log. Note every deposit and every withdrawal. A running total on paper is harder to ignore than a cashier screen.
• Never borrow to play, and treat a win as a lucky night out, not as next week's budget.

If someone close to you is struggling

Gambling harm reaches partners, parents and children too. The NRGP line takes calls from family members, so you can ask a counsellor how to raise the subject and what to say.

• Talk at a calm moment, about what you have noticed rather than about blame.
• Do not lend money or pay off gambling debts for them; it usually funds the next session.
• Protect shared money: separate accounts and your own card for household bills.
• Look after yourself as well. The counselling is free for you, whether or not they are ready to call.