Safer gaming is defined by maintaining control and making informed, responsible decisions. Through our "Well Played" initiative, we are committed to providing the resources and tools you need to manage your gaming experience effectively. We empower you to play smart, stay aware of potential risks, and always know when it is time to stop.

Establishing a clear plan before you begin your gaming session is essential for maintaining control and adhering to your limits. We recommend setting firm limits across the following key areas:

• Time Management: Determine exactly how long you intend to play 

• Financial Limits: Define a budget for your session

• Mindset Check: Always check your emotional state before playing. Avoid gambling if you are feeling stressed, upset, or are under the influence of alcohol

Activity Review: Regularly examine your past betting sessions. Reviewing your play data provides valuable insight into your habits, allowing you to make any necessary adjustments to ensure your gaming remains a fun and leisure activity

Understanding the potential risks is a vital aspect of safer gaming. Before you begin a session, take a moment to consider these factors and ensure you are comfortable with them based on your current circumstances.

• Financial Risk: The primary risk associated with gaming is financial loss. It is essential to only gamble amounts you can comfortably afford to lose without impacting other aspects of your life

• Emotional and Mental Wellbeing: Problematic gaming can lead to significant stress, anxiety, and feelings of guilt, which may in turn negatively impact your personal relationships

Time and Opportunity Cost: Excessive time spent gaming can detract from other meaningful aspects of your life, including your work, personal hobbies, and time spent with loved ones

Recognising when gaming shifts from an enjoyable pastime to a harmful behavior can be challenging. To help you stay aware, be alert to the following warning signs:

• Financial Pressure: Spending beyond your means, borrowing funds to gamble, or prioritising gambling over essential living expenses

• Emotional Shifts: Experiencing persistent stress, anxiety, or guilt after gaming or relying on the activity as a way to escape life’s challenges

• Impact on Time: Devoting increasing amounts of time to gaming, to the point where work, family, and social obligations are neglected

• Chasing Losses: Feeling a compelling urge to immediately return to gaming in an attempt to recover money previously lost

Secrecy: Being dishonest with friends and family about the frequency or extent of your play, or hiding your gaming habits altogether

YourPlay is Victoria’s pre-commitment scheme, designed to empower you to make informed decisions about your gaming machine play. It allows you to:

• Set limits on time or money spent

• Keep track of your activity across Victorian venues

YourPlay is available in all gaming machines in Victoria. You can use this service next time you’re in a venue by getting a casual card or registering for an account and/or linking it directly to your Pub+ play card at any of our venues. For more information, click here.

ALH Hotels is committed to providing the highest standards of customer care and responsible gambling. As part of this commitment, we have made available the following documents.

Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct (Victorian Venues) (English)

Arabic | Italian | Greek | Simplified Chinese  | Spanish | Turkish | Vietnamese

You can set time and spend limits directly through the Pub+ play app by:

1. Access the 'Responsible Gaming' section via the main menu or your account profile

2. Select the 'Voluntary Pre-Commitment' option

3. Define your desired limits:

   • Time Limit: Specify the maximum amount of time you wish to spend gaming

   • Spend Limit: Define the maximum amount of money you are willing to spend (your loss limit)

4. Review and confirm your selections to activate your new limits

Sometimes, the best approach is to take a break from gaming. Self-exclusion options are available in each state to support you in doing this. We encourage you to review the available information to understand your options and determine which solution best suits your situation.

If you feel that taking a break from gaming is the right step for you, self-exclusion schemes are available. The process, duration, and scope of these programs vary by state. Please refer to the table below to find the specific support available in your area.