Most people who open this page are not in crisis — they are checking in on themselves, or on someone they care about, and that is exactly the right instinct. Fatpirate runs a casino and sportsbook for adults aged 18+, and this page sets out what we offer around that, plainly, without the sales talk.
Gambling as entertainment, not income
Betting and casino play are meant to cost money over time, not make it. Any session that starts from the idea of "winning back" a loss, covering a bill, or building an income has already moved past entertainment into something riskier — and that shift is usually gradual enough to miss from the inside.
When it stops being fun
A few honest markers: chasing losses with bigger stakes, hiding the amount or frequency of play from people close to you, borrowing to fund a deposit, or feeling irritable when you try to stop. None of these need to happen together, and any one of them on its own is worth taking seriously.
A short self-check
Answer these honestly rather than as you'd like them to read:
- Have you bet more than you meant to more than once this month?
- Have you lied to anyone about how much you've spent or won?
- Have you used money meant for bills, rent or food to fund play?
- Do you feel you need to gamble to feel normal or to relax?
- Have you tried to cut down and found you couldn't?
- Has anyone close to you raised a concern about your gambling?
Answering yes to two or more is a reasonable point to use the tools below, or to talk to one of the organisations further down this page.
Fatpirate's control tools
Fatpirate's own tools centre on stepping away from the account rather than throttling it day to day. You can request self-exclusion by contacting their customer support by email, and account closure works the same way — a direct email request rather than a self-service toggle in the account settings.
What self-exclusion does
Once requested, it removes your access to the account. Treat it as a firm decision rather than a pause you can talk yourself out of within the hour — that is the point of routing it through a support request rather than a one-click switch.
Closing an account entirely
Account closure is a separate request from self-exclusion and ends the relationship rather than pausing it. Either request goes to the same inbox, so state clearly which one you want.
Practical limits that work
- Set a cash amount before you start a session, in a separate account or as a card limit, not as a mental target.
- Decide your stop-loss and stop-win points before you play, not mid-session.
- Avoid topping up a deposit immediately after a loss — leave at least a day.
- Keep a plain record of deposits for a month; the total is usually more informative than any single session.
- Never gamble on credit, and never gamble to solve a specific financial shortfall.
Where to get help in the UK
These organisations are independent of any operator and cost nothing to use. GamCare runs the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, free and available 24/7. BeGambleAware offers free, confidential support and information, and GamStop lets you self-exclude from all UK-licensed gambling sites at once rather than one at a time. For anyone who needs structured treatment rather than a phone call, Gordon Moody provides residential and online programmes.
Blocking software
If self-exclusion on individual sites isn't enough, blocking software works at the device level. Gamban and the free BetBlocker both stop gambling sites loading in the browser or apps, which removes the moment of impulse rather than relying on willpower in it.
Protecting minors
Access here is restricted to players aged 18 and over (18+). If a device you use is shared with a child or teenager, parental-control software such as Net Nanny or Qustodio adds a layer beyond a simple password, particularly on tablets and shared family computers.
Questions about anything on this page can go to [email protected]. Gambling should be entertainment, not a chore.
You must be 18 or over (18+) to use this site. Support with gambling is free and confidential at BeGambleAware.org.