Responsible Gaming
At PokerStars we strive to assist and protect players who are at risk of the potential negative effects of gambling.
Through a number of means, including self-exclusion tools, guidance on responsible gaming, risk identification and player verification we are helping customers keep in control of their gaming so they can enjoy playing.
We believe in educating our players to empower them through knowledge, which is why we have a number of helpful tools to ensure that playing time is always enjoyable.
What we can do to help you
What you can do to help yourself
What we can do to help you
Age verification
Any underage player who has provided dishonest or inaccurate information regarding their true age may have all winnings forfeited and could face criminal prosecution.
- Every person signing up for a new account must check a box that indicates that they are at least 18 years of age. This notifies everybody that we don't accept players under 18.
- When a player creates an account with us, we collect their name, address, and birth date to confirm that the player is at least 18 years old. They also must show proof of legal age by sending us a photocopy of their identity card, as well as proof of address (or a bank statement).
- We do not target underage players with our marketing and advertising. It is neither good business nor consistent with our personal and corporate values to attract underage players.
If you have children or teenagers in your household, take extra care to secure your computer and mobile devices.
- All Windows computers can be set up to have password control so that you must enter a password to get to the desktop, and mobile devices can be set up to require a passcode to unlock. In general, this is a good practice, but it's even more important when there are children or teenagers in your household. Also, keep your username and password private. You can elect to have the software not remember your password each time you log-in. If you have any concern that somebody else might attempt to access your Stars Account, you should not allow the software to remember your password.
- If you have children or teenagers in your household, use protection software that allows you to limit the websites to which they have access, prevent file sharing, and generally give you detailed control over how your children use the Internet. Here is a list of some of those programs:
- If you are aware of an underage person using our platform, let us know. Simply visit our Help Centre and we will get right on it. Our first step is to investigate, and if warranted, freeze the player's account and request identification from that player. We take these reports seriously.
- Be a responsible parent. In many ways, this is nothing more than keeping your eyes and ears open. If you hear your children talking about online gambling accounts, deposits, and withdrawals, start asking questions. If you see the software on your child's computer, uninstall it and ask more questions. A responsible parent is the best start to preventing underage gaming. You can find advice on how to talk to a young person about gambling here.
Self-exclusion
Voluntary Banning from Games
Anyone can request to be banned from gambling. Such request is made to the National Gaming Authority (ANJ). This ban applies to casinos, gaming clubs, online gaming and betting sites operated by authorized gaming operators in France, the online lottery gaming site operated by La Française des Jeux as well as gaming terminals accessible with a player account operated by operators holding exclusive rights, in particular La Française des Jeux and Pari mutuel Urbain. It is announced for a period which may not be less than three years. It is tacitly renewable. You can find more information in here.
Self-exclusion and your Stars Account
We provide you with the ability to exclude yourself from playing for various periods of time. To do this, go to the main lobby of the desktop software, select 'More' > 'Tools' > 'Responsible Gaming' > 'Exclude me from playing' i. On mobile, go to ‘Account’ > ‘Responsible Gaming Settings’. On the website, login then go to 'Account' > 'Responsible Gaming'.Please note that all self-exclusions are irreversible for the duration of the specified time. In addition, all self-exclusion periods are inclusive of all games. Your self-exclusion will apply to your Stars Account, and to any product that requires your username to play, and covers both real money and play money activity. You can come back and play once the exclusion period you chose expires. Please note that if you ask to close your Stars Account, we can't reopen it under any circumstances.
If you want to block yourself from a particular game, go to the main lobby of the desktop software, select 'More' > 'Tools' > 'Responsible Gaming' > 'Restrict Table Limit' i and set your limit to 'Don't play'.
- We offer 1-day to 365-day self-exclusion periods. You will not be able to play any games, that we provide for real money or play money on our software. Once you click the button that requests a self-exclusion period, you will be asked to close all tables at which you're playing. You will be automatically unregistered from any online tournament that begins during the self-exclusion period, with your buy-in refunded per our normal policy. If you are still playing when the self-exclusion period begins, you will not be forced to close the software, but will receive a pop-up asking you to do so – the exclusion period will begin once the software is closed. You will be able to login and access the Cashier, but you will not be able to play or deposit with your Stars Account. If you have won a seat in a live, brick-and-mortar tournament that begins during the exclusion period, you will still be able to play it. You will not receive any marketing emails or newsletters from us.
- 1-day to 6-day (less than 7-day) self-exclusion. If you wish to self-exclude yourself between 1 day and 6 days, visit our Help Center to find our how you can contact us and we will promptly assist you with your request.
- 6-month (180-days) and up to 1-year (365 days) self-exclusion. This is identical to the other self-exclusion periods, except that we will ask you to withdraw any real money funds from your Stars Account.
- Self-exclusions longer than 1 year. If you wish to self-exclude yourself for a certain time frame that is not mentioned or available from the desktop client, please visit our Help Center to find out how you can contact us. Alternatively, you can consider requesting through the ANJ website.
- Self-exclusion during tournaments:
- Players who self-exclude themselves during a tournament will still be able to complete any tournament already in progress in which they are playing.
- Multi-Day Tournaments: Players who request to be self-excluded from playing during a 'qualifying for Day 2' of a 'Multi-Day Tournament' will still be able to play in that tournament on any subsequent day of that tournament, even after their period of self-exclusion begins. Players who choose not to play on subsequent days will receive no compensation.
- Flighted Tournaments: Players who request to be self-excluded from playing during a flighted tournament will not be able to complete the next flight of the tournament. Make sure you can play the tournament in its entirety before entering the first flight.
- Please also note that if you win any prizes resulting from any offer that may have started prior to your self-exclusion (i.e. automatic drawings to live events, or live activities), they may be forfeited.
- Customers who self-exclude themselves when they still have an open bet will have the bet settled as normal.
If you wish to self-exclude from all online gambling activity, consider downloading gamban®, software that helps you by blocking access to all online gambling.
You may also wish to investigate GamBlock, a software application that limits a computer's access to online gaming sites.
What you can do to help yourself
Identify and reduce the risks
If you choose to play online, there are some general guidelines that can help make your playing experience safer, and reduce the risk of problems occurring:
- Play for entertainment, and not as a way of making money.
- Play with money that you can afford to lose. Never use money that you need for important things such as food, rent, bills, or tuition.
- Set deposit limits and ensure you never deposit more than you can afford to lose.
- Never chase losses. If you lose money, don't play higher stakes to try and recoup your losses.
- Don't play when you are upset, tired, or depressed. It is difficult to make good decisions when you are feeling down.
- Balance your playing with other activities. Find other forms of entertainment so playing does not become too big a part of your life.
If you believe that playing games might be a hindrance to your life rather than a form of entertainment, we want to help you. First, please review the following questions:
- Have you ever taken time from your major daily obligations because of playing?
- Has playing caused you to neglect your own welfare or that of your family?
- Have you ever sold anything or borrowed money to finance your playing?
- Have you often played until your last cash was gone?
- Have you ever played longer than you had planned?
- Have you ever considered self-destruction or suicide as a result of your playing?
If you answered "Yes" to several of these questions, we encourage you to visit SOS Joueurs: www.sosjoueurs.org - or to contact them by phone: 09 69 39 55 12.
There are risk factors that can contribute to the development of gambling issues and make it more difficult to stop gambling. Players can be more at risk if they:
- Have easy access to their preferred form of gambling
- Hold mistaken beliefs about the odds of winning (see "Common Myths about Compulsive Gambling" below)
- Do not take precautions to monitor gambling wins and losses
- Have an early big win (leading to false expectation of future wins)
- Have had a recent loss or change in their personal life, such as divorce, job loss, retirement, or death of a loved one
- Often feel bored or lonely, or have a history of risk-taking or impulsive behavior
- Have financial problems
- Have a history of mental health problems, particularly depression and anxiety
- Have a parent who also has (or has had) problems with gambling or other compulsive disorders
- Have (or have had) problems with alcohol or other drugs, or overspending
The more factors that apply, the more likely a person is to develop a gambling problem.
If you are finding it hard to stop gambling, or if you're already suffering from consequences related to your gambling behavior, it may be time to get help.
Setting limits
We offer you the option to set different Responsible Gaming limits to help you play responsibly. You can set these limits by following these instructions, depending on how you are accessing our services:
- Website
Log in and go to 'Account' > 'Responsible Gaming'
- Desktop Client
Log in and select 'More' > 'Tools' > 'Responsible Gaming' i
- Mobile App
After logging in go to ‘Account’ > ‘Responsible Gaming Settings’
Set limits on your real money deposits and purchases
We believe that you should be allowed to manage your own budget for playing online. We allow you to restrict your own weekly real money deposit limits. Of course, those limits may be no higher than the ones we already have for your account.
In addition, please note that some freemium purchases will count toward your self-imposed limit depending on the payment system chosen for your purchase.
Restricting cash game table limits, tournament limits and sports betting
Setting table limits and tournament limits provides individual players with an opportunity to control their spending by limiting themselves from playing certain table limit stakes, as well as tournament buy in limits.
You can also block yourself from sports betting and set a 7-day accumulated betting limit using the same menu located in 'Tools'. There is also the option to block yourself from sports betting within this menu.
And you can also login to your account through our website. From the 'Account' menu, you can access our responsible gaming tools.
If you want any restriction in place permanently or for a designated time, please visit our Help Center to find out ways to contact us.
Poker Time Limits
- This is a mandatory limit imposed by the National Gaming Authority (Autorité Nationale des Jeux).
- The limit is weekly.
- It only applies to real money Poker play.
- It resets every Monday.
- If you decrease the time limit, it will kick in straight away.
- If you increase the time limit, it will take 48 hours or more (some conditions apply, please see below).
- You will still be able to play in registered tournaments if seating has started. All other games will be restricted.
Want to increase your limit? These conditions will apply:
- If you used less than 75% of the set time and choose to increase your limit, it will take 48 hours to apply.
- If you used more than 75% of the set time and choose to increase your limit, the new limit will be approved on the following Monday, as the 48-hour cool-off period has passed.
Here's a few examples:
- On Monday, you set a 10-hour Poker time limit, play 5 hours and on Tuesday you request an increase of the limit to 20 hours. The new limit of 20 hours will come into effect in 48 hours (Thursday).
- On Monday, you set a 10-hour Poker time limit, by Thursday you play 9 hours and request an increase to 20 hours. The new limit of 20 hours will come into effect on the following Monday.
- On Monday, you set a 10-hour Poker time limit, by Sunday you play all 10 hours but take no action. The day after (Monday), the limit is reset to 10 hours, which was previously set.
- On Monday, you set a 10-hour time limit, by Sunday you play all 10 hours and request an increase of the limit to 20 hours. The new limit of 20 hours will come into effect in 48 hours (Tuesday).
Restricting withdrawal cancelation
You have the option to restrict yourself from cancelling your withdrawals once they have been requested. You can apply this by going to the main lobby in our desktop client and selecting 'More' > 'Tools' > 'Responsible Gaming' > 'Restrict Withdrawal Cancellation' i.
If you activate this feature, you will disable your ability to cancel pending withdrawals on your account and we will not cancel your withdrawals at your request. This restriction is permanent and it will not be possible to restore your ability to cancel your withdrawals once you have activated it.
Be aware of common myths about compulsive gambling
We believe players should play for fun and entertainment. But some players who engage in recreational gambling do not believe they could become addicted, and sometimes hold onto false beliefs or myths about problem gambling that can lead to denial and other problems. Some of the more common myths are listed below. Click 'More' to read on.
Myth: A compulsive gambler gambles every day.
Fact: A problem gambler may gamble frequently or infrequently. If a person's gambling is causing psychological, financial, emotional, marital, legal or other consequences for themselves and the people around them, then they could be displaying signs of a gambling problem.
Myth: A compulsive gambler will bet on anything and gamble at any opportunity on any form of gambling.
Fact: Most problem gamblers have a favorite form of gambling that causes them problems and are not likely to be tempted by betting on other things. For example, a gambler who makes weekly trips to the race track may not be tempted by lottery tickets or slot machines. Some compulsive gamblers also engage in secondary forms of gambling, but these are not usually as problematic.
Myth: Gambling only becomes a problem when you lose every last penny. Compulsive gambling is just a financial problem.
Fact: How much money you win or lose does not determine if you have a gambling addiction. Compulsive gamblers may win big and then lose all their earnings the next day, or they may only bet a certain amount each time. Typically, those with gambling problems will incur enough debt that the financial consequences of their behavior begins impacting their lives, but that is not always the case.
Myth: It's not possible to become addicted to something like gambling.
Fact: Certain activities, such as gambling, can be just as addictive as drinking or doing drugs. Gambling may produce a euphoria that encourages a compulsive gambler to keep repeating the behavior to achieve that effect. As with drugs and alcohol, a gambling addict may develop a tolerance for gambling and take bigger and bigger risks to achieve that euphoria. A compulsive gambler will give in to a craving for gambling by doing it more often, regardless of the negative consequences. As with any other addictions and compulsive behavior, pathological gamblers may also be in denial about their behavior, and may not believe they have a problem at all.
Myth: Only irresponsible people become addicted to gambling.
Fact: Many problem gamblers hold, or have held, responsible community positions. In addition, even people with a long history of responsible behavior are vulnerable to developing a gambling problem. It is common for people to believe that those suffering from addictions are weak-willed and irresponsible. But anybody can become addicted to gambling, no matter how responsible they are.
Myth: Compulsive gambling isn't really a problem if the gambler can afford it.
Fact: Problems caused by excessive gambling are not just financial. If a person's gambling is interfering with their ability to act in accordance with their values, then there is a problem. For example, too much time spent on gambling means less time to spend with family, friends and others. It can lead to relationship breakdown and loss of important friendships.
Myth: It's easy to recognize a compulsive gambler.
Fact: Problem gambling has been called the hidden addiction. It is very easy to hide as it has few recognizable symptoms, unlike alcohol and drug use. Many problem gamblers themselves do not recognize they have a gambling problem. Problem gamblers often engage in self-denial.
Myth: If I keep gambling, my luck will change and I'll win back the money I've lost.
Fact: Each time you place a bet, the outcome is completely independent of the previous bet. This means that the odds are no more in your favour on the tenth bet than they were on the first bet. Risking more, or playing longer, will not improve your chances of winning.
Myth: I have a feeling that today is my lucky day. I just know I'm going to win.
Fact: Hoping, wishing, or even needing to win money has absolutely no influence on the outcome of a game of chance.
If any of these myths are realities for you or a loved one, it may be necessary to consider seeking treatment for a gambling addiction. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, please contact one of the organizations that we recommend.
Need help, advice or counselling?
If you need advice on how to play responsibly, or help with controlling your play, you can contact the national helpline:
SOS Joueurs
09 69 39 55 12
09 74 75 13 13
You may have a gambling problem? The Train-online research may help you.
The Center for Research in Epidemiology and Public Health of the Paris Public Assistance Hospitals (APHP) is currently conducting a study that aims at helping players who wish to regain control of their gambling activity. This study is for anyone who thinks they feel they have issues controlling their gambling. The Train-online study takes place online and it is not necessary to be in Paris to participate.
Press release from the Train-online team – APHP – Center for Research in Epidemiology and Public Health of the Paris Public Assistance Hospitals
"This clinical trial could allow you to benefit from an online cognitive training, i.e. playful exercises accessible from the internet for the purpose of helping you to regain control over your gambling practice. If you're interested, please send us an email at train.online@aphp.fr and we will revert to you with all required information to participate in this study."
Please note that this study is in no way connected to or associated with REEL Malta Limited or PokerStars.
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