Player protection

Gambling addiction — What you need to know

Gambling addiction

Unlike regular gambling, pathological or compulsive gambling (often referred to as gambling addiction) involves a player losing control, denying that they have a problem, having a negative impact on their family and working life and making repeated efforts to ‘chase’ their losses. Gambling becomes central to the player’s existence, an all-powerful compulsion.

This addictive behaviour doesn’t just appear overnight. It develops gradually like a dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol or nicotine.

This process can typically be divided into the following three phases:

The winning phase

In this phase, players have their first positive contacts with gambling. Wins are often made early on, increasing self-esteem and creating a stronger bond with gambling. The gaming behavior is rather low-risk. Financial losses are acceptable and are viewed as the result of explainable external causes and are usually glossed over.

The losing phase

This phase sees players enjoy their first positive experience of gambling. In the early days, players often win, which increases their sense of self-worth and strengthens their ties to gambling. Their gambling behaviour tends to be low-risk. Financial losses are within the bounds of the acceptable and are usually glossed over as the result of explicable external causes.

Generally, it is in this phase that a gradual distancing from friends and family begins. The course is set for isolation. 

Desperation

The player has completely lost control of their behaviour and is unable to stop gambling. Gambling has become a central purpose in life. Work obligations and other interests are ignored. Excessive gambling and getting hold of money are the focus of the player’s day-to-day existence.

This phase of gambling addiction is associated with personality changes and even a loss of social status. Consequences include a loss of relationships, work and respect. The player finds themselves in a vicious circle and is seldom able to escape without professional help and therapy.

Early recognition

Recognizing signals early on that could be signs of future gambling addiction is of great importance and offers the chance to get support and help in good time. Those affected, but also their caregivers (family members, colleagues, superiors) can make an initial assessment based on the following criteria:

Signs of problem gambling:

The person in question  …

• is determined to stop gambling but relapses
• fails to stick to self-imposed time and budget limits and is increasingly losing control of their gambling
• becomes agitated and aggressive without an opportunity to gamble
• tries to make up for previous losses by gambling again
• gambles with borrowed money
• ignores problems that their gambling is causing for their family and friends or at work
• neglects their appearance
• increasingly isolates themselves and shows no interest in friends or hobbies
   

Responsible gaming — Play for fun

Self-control and self-protection

We offer our players a range of tools, designed to ensure responsible gambling on our platform.  

Limits

When you register, you can set a personal loss limit, restricting the maximum loss on the amount you specify. You can adjust these limits in your profile at any time.

Breaks

An ideal tool for self-regulation. Whether you choose an hour, a day, a week or a month, this tool lets you regulate your own activity.

Gambling history

You can see an overview of your own gambling behaviour at any time.

Self-test

We are happy to provide this self-assessment tool, which is based on the latest behavioural diagnostics. Regularly holding an honest review of your own gambling behaviour is important and helps you to recognise problem gambling in time. You can fill in this form anonymously or save it in your player account at any time and come back to it later.

Voluntary suspension

If the worst comes to the worst or if you wish to prevent yourself from sliding into uncontrolled gambling, imposing a suspension on yourself is a very effective protective measure.

Suspension — When gambling gets out of hand

Voluntary suspension

If gambling at the casino starts to become less fun or causes problems at home or at work, you may recognise that it’s time to stop.

If, despite all your good intentions, you find yourself unable to limit your involvement or stop altogether, a voluntary suspension is a highly effective way to deal with problematic or addictive gambling. It prevents you from accessing any Swiss casinos, whether bricks-and-mortar or online.

The suspension applies throughout Switzerland to all licensed gambling in casinos and online as well as to online lotteries, sports betting, games of skill and gaming regulated by intercantonal authorities.

Suspension is recorded in a register that applies throughout Switzerland. Access rights to this register are regulated by law.

Lifting the suspension

Anyone who has asked for a voluntary suspension can request that it be lifted after a minimum period of three months. The request must be submitted to the casino or lottery company that issued the suspension. The process of lifting the suspension must involve a specialist agency recognised by the canton.

Counselling services — Advice and help

Our customer service is your first port of call for any problems relating to gambling. The staff have extensive training and will be happy to help at any time. In addition, the SOK (Social Concept) will be happy to assist you with further information.

Responsible department for player protection at GOLDEN GRAND:

Team SOK
Mr. A. Henne
[email protected]
Tel. 061 327 20 20

Please consider contacting the following services:

Zentrum für Verhaltenssüchte (Centre for Behavioural Addictions)
University Psychiatric Clinics
Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27
4052 Basel
Tel: 061 325 50 92
www.upk.ch

«Die dargebotene Hand»
(Telephone Emergency Services)
Tel: 143
www.143.ch

Speakers of other languages should contact:

Multikulturelle Suchtberatungsstelle beider Basel (MUSUB) (Multicultural Addiction Advice Centre)
Nauenstrasse 49
Tel: 061 273 83 05
www.musub.ch

Further information and help are also available from:

Information and contacts
www.sos-spielsucht.ch

Debt advice service
www.plusminus.ch

Social responsibility partner of Grand Casino Basel
www.careplay.ch

Familiy Members — Spotting problem gambling

Unlike other addictions (e.g. to alcohol), gambling addiction is relatively invisible. There are no hidden bottles and no obvious signs (e.g. the smell of alcohol, slurred speech, etc.). This makes it difficult for friends, family and colleagues to spot that someone is addicted to gambling. But there are a few telltale signs that could indicate a gambling problem:
Money is missing for no apparent reason. Unpaid bills, frequent withdrawals of cash, borrowing money from family or friends and no coherent explanation for the lack of funds can be signs of gambling addiction.
Agitation, irritability and general despondency can be symptoms of gambling addiction.

The person often appears to be in a world of their own. Gambling addicts are focused on gambling or preoccupied with how to get money to carry on gambling.
A lack of time. It becomes apparent that the person is not only betting increasing amounts of money but is also investing increasing amounts of time in gambling, neglecting other interests and obligations.
 

Please note that the signs listed here may be symptomatic of gambling addiction but this is not necessarily the case. The behaviour you have observed may be caused by a different problem.


If you observe one or more of these signs, it is worth speaking with the person to clarify the situation. Take your worries and concerns seriously and note that the various counselling options available are also open to the family, friends and colleagues of the person concerned.
 

Legal basis

Legal basis for suspension

Under certain circumstances, Swiss casinos are legally obliged to suspend a gambler.

A suspension is issued if the casino’s own observations or the reports of a third party (e.g. specialist agency, social security office) lead the casino to believe or suspect that the person in question 

• is in serious debt,
• cannot meet their financial obligations or
• is addicted to gambling.

A suspension will also be issued against anyone whose bets are entirely disproportionate to their income or assets.

The legal basis for issuing and lifting suspensions is provided by the following regulations: 

• Section 80 and 81 of the Federal Act on Gambling (Gambling Act, BGS)
• Section 84 and 85 of the Ordinance on Gambling (Gambling Ordinance, VGS)

Any suspension, including a voluntary suspension, applies in all Swiss casinos and on all online gambling platforms that are covered by the Swiss Gambling Act (lotteries, sports betting, etc.). The suspension is entered in a register that is valid throughout Switzerland and applies with unlimited effect.

Access rights to this register are regulated by law. Any player can request a voluntary suspension by submitting a written application along with a copy of their ID. The process of lifting the suspension must involve a specialist agency recognised by the canton.

Lifting of the suspension can be requested if the grounds for the suspension no longer exist. Voluntary suspension applies for a minimum period of three months.

Violation of suspensions

Anyone attempting to circumvent or violate a suspension may face legal action from the casino (charge of unlawful entry under Section 186 of the Swiss Criminal Code, StGB).

Self-test — Is my gambling under control?

Regularly holding an honest review of your own gambling behaviour is important and helps you to recognise problem gambling in time.

You can fill in this form anonymously or save it in your player account at any time and come back to it later.

It will only take two minutes of your time – you won’t regret it.