Responsible Gambling Tools

Last Updated on 28 Oct 2022 | by Amanda Wilson

While most Kiwis can gamble online without experiencing any issues, the activity can cause some severe harmful effects on some players. Recent research conducted by the UKGC revealed shocking results. Namely, people who gambled on the Internet in the past year know very little or nothing about responsible gambling tools and their importance.

New Zealand doesn't have a local regulatory body that requires operators to implement these tools. Thus, the situation in the country is not ideal. However, we are always here to help. So, in this detailed guide, we will discuss all of the available tools for New Zealanders and explain how they work.

infographics regarding responsible gambling tools in New Zealand

Tools to Block Gambling Activity

Understanding how to block online gambling sites is a crucial step on the road to recovery for someone with a gambling problem. Blocking casino sites allows you to reconsider your gambling habits and take a break to, hopefully, get control over your gambling again. People can use various tools to block gambling activities online, and we will present them to you in a moment.

Gambling Blockers

Gambling blockers are a particular type of software that prevents people from accessing online gambling sites. You can install them on your PC or download them as apps on any mobile device. And once you put them in place, you will no longer have access to most casino sites on the Internet. Below, we’ll give you more details about the types of site blockers available.

Free Gambling Blockers

Free gambling blockers are an excellent option for people who need to overcome or simply prevent gambling-related problems. Since they’re completely free, you will never be asked to pay any fees or subscriptions. This is incredibly convenient for players who need help fighting the problem but don’t have adequate financial resources.

BetBlocker

BetBlocker is an excellent free tool that you can use across devices to block yourself from gambling and advertising. Once installed, it allows you to set a self-restriction period between 24 hours and five years. Once you choose the period, you won't be able to remove BetBlocker before it ends.

Freemium Gambling Blockers

Freemium gambling sites are popular among players nowadays. They usually give you a 7-day free trial to test the free features. Alternatively, you may get access to premium features to give you an idea of what to expect should you decide to subscribe. After the trial period, you’ll be asked to pay a monthly or yearly subscription to continue using the services.

Gamban

Gamban is a powerful tool that blocks all gambling websites and apps. A 7-day free trial is available, and then you can choose between the Cool Off or the Exclusion function. The former will cost you £2.49 per month, and the latter costs £2.08 per month or £24.99 annually.

Paid Gambling Blockers

Paid gambling blockers will help you fight gambling addiction by preventing access to gambling websites and applications. But, this time you will have to pay for it. Multiple paid blocking tools are available for NZ players. And they can use them on desktop and mobile after paying the specified amount for a license.

BetFilter

BetFilter is a best-selling gambling blocking tool on the market that supports IOS, Android, Windows, and MAC. The platform is reliable and straightforward. Plus, it's also one of the cheapest ones with a yearly license that costs $69.95. A free AdBlocker and mobile apps are included in the price.

Gamblock

Gamblock is an all-inclusive blocking tool with extremely tight protection that no proxies or VPNs can bypass. Numerous subscription options are available, and the tool is available on most desktop and mobile devices. Costs vary depending on the number of devices and the duration.

NetNanny

NetNanny is one of the most effective website blocking tools designed for various things, including blocking gambling sites. Subscription prices depend on the number of devices you wish to protect. You'll pay $49.99 for one desktop, $79.99 for five devices, and $129.99 for twenty devices.

ColdTurkey

ColdTurkey is a convenient blocking tool available across devices. With a single payment of $39, you will get lifetime access to the premium features. But, if you only need the basic features, you can use the tool for free. No payments, no subscriptions, no cost at all.

Self-Exclusion Schemes

Self-exclusion schemes are another great way to restrict gambling activity if you notice that an addiction may be developing. What to do once you start thinking that you’re spending too much time on gambling? Well, it’s a good idea to start learning more about self-exclusion schemes and how they can help you fight the problem. There are two types of self-exclusion available, and we’ll discuss them below.

Internal Self-Exclusion

Every legal, licensed, and reliable gambling operator offers players a self-exclusion scheme as part of the responsible gaming policy. With that, the player can exclude themselves from any gambling activity on the site for a specific period of time. Once the self-exclusion period is over, you can continue gambling.

Offline Self-Exclusion

There is a National New Zealand self-exclusion for those who prefer playing at land-based casino venues, and it works very well. If a player identifies themselves as a problem gambler, the casino is obligated to issue an exclusion order between three months and two years.

Gambling Transactions Blockers

If you’re worried about the amount of money you’re spending on gambling. Especially if it’s money you cannot afford to lose, don’t worry because banks offer a lot of support. Many banks are working on practical solutions to help their at-risk customers restrict their gambling expenses. One of them is the option to turn off payments to certain gambling websites.

With the COVID19 pandemic and frequent lockdowns, online gambling significantly increased. Thus, KiwiBank's transactional data analysis showed a significant gambling spending spike. So, they introduced a gambling block option. The effective solution allows customers to block any transactions for online gambling purposes on their credit and debit cards.

WestPac's gambling block feature prevents the authorisation of all gambling transactions. That way, it helps customers manage their credit and debit card spending. Thanks to this gambling block solution, cardholders can request the bank to reject all transactions towards gambling and betting sites.

The ANZ app offers an excellent gambling block feature. It allows you to manage and control the types of transactions you make with your credit and debit card. Using the ANZ app, you can turn on a gambling block on your card to prevent all gambling transactions online and offline.

BNZ customers concerned about their gambling habits are offered a way to manage their money better thanks to the bank's gambling block feature. The customer only needs to request it. Then, the bank will restrict all transactions towards gambling websites and for any type of gambling activity.

CommBank customers who are negatively impacted by gambling can request a 6-month gambling block on their CommBank debit and credit cards. If you explain the problem to them, they will connect you to a specialist Community Wellbeing team and provide additional support.

Tools to Limit Gambling Activity

Responsible gambling is something you must keep in mind every time you log in to an online casino. It’s all fun and games until you realise that you spent a little too much and you need to stop. Well, there are a few essential things you can do to avoid getting to that point. Here are the most notable tools that will help you manage your gambling.

This tool helps you limit the amount of cash you can deposit into your casino account daily, weekly, or monthly. Once you reach the set limit, you won't be able to top up your account until the specified time has elapsed.

The loss limit tool allows you to set a clear limit on the amount of money you can afford to lose daily, weekly, or monthly. If you reach the limit, you will be restricted from wagering. This means you won't be able to lose any more than you can afford.

The session limit lets you determine how long you want to be logged in. This is a reality check that shows you how much time you spend on gambling. Before you reach the session limit, you'll receive a notification, and then you'll be automatically logged out of your account.

The wagering limit helps you control the amount of money that you wager daily, weekly, or monthly. Once you reach the specified limit, you will no longer be able to wager, which helps you protect your winnings and make a successful withdrawal.

A Cool Off period blocks your access to a specific casino site for as long as you need. All you need to do is go to your account, select between 1-30 days, and confirm. Once the Cool Off period expires, you'll be able to reaccess your account.

Warning Tools

If you don’t consider yourself a problem gambler, but you are still concerned about your gambling habits, then you can definitely use one of the following warning tools. They will help you better understand how time-consuming the activity is and in which ways, if any, it impacts your day-to-day life.

Time Alert

Time alert helps you monitor the time you spend on gambling. Periodically, you'll receive notifications about the length of your gaming sessions and the changes in your balance during them. That way, you will always have enough information before deciding whether or not to continue gambling.

Self-Assessment

The self-assessment tool presents you with a series of statements. You'll have to select how each of them describes your current situation. Based on your responses, you'll get a summary showing which areas of your life are negatively impacted by gambling. You'll also learn which tools can help you improve.