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PlumbrookResponsible play

Page 03 of 07

Responsible play

A private self-check, sittings and sleep, chat safety, spending and paid random items, PEGI labels and free UK help.

01Why this page exists

Good online games are built to be hard to put down: there is always another match, another mission or another daily reward. That is part of what makes them good, and it is also why a site that recommends them should be straight about the downsides and how to keep play enjoyable.

02Free, confidential help

Paid random items such as loot boxes, card packs and prize wheels share features with gambling: you pay before you know what you will get, which makes them easy to keep buying. If the time or money going into games feels out of control, for you or someone you care about, these organisations help for free and in confidence:

  • GamCare

    Free, confidential support for anyone whose play or spending feels out of control, and for the people around them. The National Gambling Helpline, 0808 8020 133, and live chat are open around the clock.

    Visit GamCare

  • BeGambleAware

    A UK charity with confidential advice, a short self-assessment and a search tool for free treatment and support near you.

    Visit BeGambleAware

  • Gambling Therapy

    Free online support from trained advisers, with peer groups and self-help tools, available worldwide and in many languages.

    Visit Gambling Therapy

03Blocking and treatment

When gaming or spending starts to drift towards gambling, or you are worried that it might, these UK services can block access, offer treatment and support families:

  • GAMSTOP

    Free UK self-exclusion. If gaming has drifted towards gambling websites, it blocks every UK-licensed gambling site and app for six months, one year or five years.

    Visit GAMSTOP

  • Gordon Moody

    A UK charity running residential treatment, online recovery programmes and support for families when gambling has become harmful.

    Visit Gordon Moody

  • NHS gambling support

    NHS advice on warning signs and self-help, and how to refer yourself to a specialist NHS clinic in England.

    Visit NHS gambling support

04Urgent help and young people

Free and confidential, for anything that is worrying you, not only games:

  • Childline

    For anyone under 19, about anything at all: call 0800 1111 free, or talk to a counsellor online.

    Visit Childline

  • Samaritans

    Someone to listen, day or night, without judging: call 116 123 free from any phone.

    Visit Samaritans

  • YoungMinds

    Mental health support for young people, and a helpline for parents and carers who are worried about a child.

    Visit YoungMinds

In an emergency, call 999. For urgent medical advice that is not an emergency, call NHS 111 or visit nhs.uk. You can also text SHOUT to 85258 for free, confidential support at any hour.

05Quick self-check

Thinking about the last few months, which of these are true for you?

This is a prompt to reflect, not a diagnosis. Your answers stay on this page and are never sent.

06Plan the run, not just the game

  • Decide before you start how long the evening is and where each game stops. Every review on our route names a split point.
  • Use the run planner on our home page, or the play-time limits on your console, computer or phone.
  • Stop at a split point, never in the middle of a match or mission, so stopping does not feel like losing progress.
  • Keep some evenings completely game-free.

07Breaks, eyes and sleep

  • Every twenty minutes, look at something about six metres away for twenty seconds.
  • Every hour, stand up for five to ten minutes, stretch and drink some water.
  • Stop at least an hour before bed. Teenagers usually need eight to ten hours of sleep, adults seven to nine.
  • If your hands, wrists, neck or eyes hurt, or you feel dizzy or sick, stop, and see a GP if it keeps happening.

08Who can talk to you online

  • Set text and voice chat to friends only, or off, in each game and on the platform.
  • Never share passwords, your address, school, phone number or photos.
  • Be careful with anyone who wants to move to another app, asks for pictures or asks you to keep a secret.
  • If an adult’s contact with a child feels wrong, report it to CEOP. Internet Matters has step-by-step setup guides for consoles and apps.

09If something goes wrong online

  • Stop playing and step away from the screen.
  • Screenshot messages before they can be deleted.
  • Block and report the account in the game or on the platform.
  • If an account was taken over, use the official recovery page and change any password you reused elsewhere.
  • Tell someone you trust. Nobody is in trouble for reporting something that felt wrong.

10Keeping spending in check

  • Agree a monthly amount before playing, never during a session.
  • Work out what a game’s own coins or gems cost in pounds before spending them.
  • Avoid paid random items: not knowing what you will get is exactly what makes them hard to stop buying.
  • UK industry principles say under-18s should not be able to buy paid random items without a parent or carer knowing; platform spending limits are how that works at home.
  • Keep purchase approval switched on and remove saved cards from children’s accounts.

11Daily rewards, streaks and seasons

Login rewards, streaks, battle passes and limited-time events are designed to bring you back on the game’s timetable, not yours. Turn off game notifications, let a streak go without guilt and come back when you actually want to play.

12Losing streaks and frustration

Competitive games are thrilling because you can lose. After two or three defeats in a row frustration builds fast and play gets worse, not better. Save, stop and come back another day; one more match is almost never the one that fixes it.

13Age labels

Games sold in the UK carry PEGI age labels: 3, 7, 12, 16 and 18, with notices for in-game purchases and (includes random items). PEGI 12, 16 and 18 are legally enforced for games sold in UK shops, overseen by the Games Rating Authority. The PEGI label guide explains every symbol. A label rates the game, not the other players in it.

14Comfort and accessibility

Read each game’s photosensitivity warning: a small number of people can have seizures triggered by flashing lights or patterns, sometimes for the first time. Subtitles, colour-blind modes, reduced motion and assist options are all part of playing comfortably.

15When gaming becomes a problem

The World Health Organization describes “gaming disorder” when gaming takes priority over other interests and daily life despite the harm it causes, usually for a year or more. Signs to watch for:

  • regularly playing far longer than planned;
  • losing sleep, or missing meals, school, work or friends;
  • irritability, low mood or anxiety when not playing;
  • spending more than intended, or hiding it;
  • dropping other hobbies and people.

The NHS National Centre for Gaming Disorders treats people aged 13 and over in England and Wales, and a GP can point you to support anywhere in the UK.

16Helping someone else

Start by asking what they enjoy about the game and who they play with. Agree small steps together, such as a planned split point or friends-only chat, rather than a sudden ban, and plan things to do offline that are genuinely fun.

17For parents and carers

Play with your children now and then, and ask them to show you their favourite game and who they play with. Keep consoles in shared rooms where you can, agree screen-free times and go through the family settings on our home page together.

18How this site is built

Plumbrook has no accounts, notifications, streaks, countdown offers or rewards for coming back. Questions about this page are welcome through hello@plumbrook.co.uk.