Responsible play: what slot mechanics mean for your money

Free help, day or night

The National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP) runs a free, confidential helpline and can arrange counselling and treatment at no cost. You do not need to be in crisis to call: worrying about your own play, or someone else's, is reason enough. Winners know when to stop.

If you are thinking about harming yourself, call the SADAG suicide crisis line on 0800 567 567 now. It is free and answered 24 hours a day.

What the mechanics mean for your budget

• RTP is a price, not a promise. The share an RTP leaves out is what play costs on average over the long run, and the same rand can be staked many times in one sitting. A session that "only" bets small amounts can still stake a large total.
• Volatility decides how long the dry spells are. On high and very high volatility games, long runs that return nothing are normal. A budget has to be able to survive them without being topped up.
• Features are built to feel close. A Hold & Spin window that is nearly full, or two scatters and a near miss, is designed excitement. It is not progress towards anything, because the next spin knows nothing of the last.
• Buying a feature is one large bet. Some games, such as Olympus Thunderhold and Bass Baggin' Bounty, sell direct entry to the bonus round. That is a single expensive stake, not a shortcut.
• Bonus wagering stretches play. Clearing a bonus means staking many times its value.

Limits you can set at Springbok

Springbok's responsible gaming page says players can ask for daily or monthly deposit limits, and can self-exclude for a period of their choice with a minimum of one month, by contacting Springbok directly Springbok's page. Support is reachable by live chat in the lobby or by email at help@springbokcasino.co.za.

1. Contact supportOpen the live chat or send an email from the address registered on your account.
2. Say exactly what you wantA daily or monthly deposit limit with the rand amount, or self-exclusion with the period, for example six months.
3. Keep the replySave the confirmation so you know the limit is in place and when it ends.
4. Remove the shortcutsDelete bookmarks and stored card details so an impulse is harder to act on.

For a fuller walk-through, see this step-by-step guide to self-exclusion at Springbok.

Warning signs worth taking seriously

• Spending more money or time than you planned, more than once.
• Chasing: playing on, or depositing again, to win back what you lost.
• Hiding how much you play, or feeling defensive when someone asks.
• Borrowing, using money meant for bills, or selling things to keep playing.
• Playing to escape stress, boredom or low mood, and feeling restless or irritable when you stop.
• Arguments at home, missed work or lost sleep because of gambling.

One of these on its own is a reason to pause. Several together are a reason to call 0800 006 008 today.

A session plan that respects the maths

1. Choose the amount firstOnly money you can afford to lose, decided before you open the lobby, and never money for rent, food or debt.
2. Choose the stake to matchA smaller stake makes the same budget last through the dry spells that volatility brings.
3. Set a time limitUse a phone alarm. When it goes, stop, whether you are up or down.
4. Treat a win as the endWithdrawing a win and stopping is a good session. Re-staking it is how most wins disappear.
5. Skip the bad momentsDo not play when you are upset, drinking or tired, or to make up for a bad day.

Adults only

Gambling is for adults. Springbok's site shows an 18+ badge, and this encyclopedia is written for adults only. If a young person could reach a gambling account in your home, lock the device and log out after every session.