Gambling with Care at Sazka Hry: Tools, Rules and Support

Responsible gambling describes an approach in which players know what they are doing and keep their gambling under control. The point is to reduce the risks that come with excessive play and to stop an addiction from forming.

Gambling operators, Allwyn Česko a.s. among them, are required by §§ 13 to 16 of zákon č. 186/2016 Sb. to give players tools and information for safe play. These include, for example:

• financial and time limits that players set for themselves,
• information about the risks and about how self-exclusion works,
• the protection of minors.

Rules on the operator's side are not enough on their own, though. Players have a part to play as well: keeping an eye on their own behaviour and noticing warning signs before gambling turns into a problem.

Gambling addiction does not develop from one day to the next. Pay attention to moments when:

• you go back to gambling only to win back what you have lost,
• gambling takes away time meant for work, study or family,
• you bet more often, or bigger amounts than before,
• you conceal your gambling from those close to you,
• you continue even though gambling already leads to debts or arguments,
• you borrow to play or keep breaking your own financial limits,
• you feel uneasy, irritable or anxious when you are not playing,
• you feel worse mentally or physically because of gambling.

If any of these points applies to you or someone around you, consider the prevention tools or speaking to a specialist.

Sazka Hry puts gambling control tools into the account of every registered player, as zákon č. 186/2016 Sb. require. Here is an overview by what you want to keep track of:

I want to control how much I deposit

Use the deposit limit. You set it for a day, a week or a month, and once the amount is reached you cannot deposit anything more until the period ends.

I want to control how much I stake and lose

The bet and loss limit restricts the total value of your bets or your net loss over a period you choose. Once the cap is reached, the system does not allow further bets or play.

I want to control my time

A time limit decides how long you may play each day or week. The reality check feature shows you at regular intervals how much time you have already spent playing.

I need a break from gambling

A time-out takes you out of play for 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days. Until it ends you cannot log in or gamble; after that the account is active once more.

All limits can be set, lowered or removed in your account. Raising a limit is subject to a protection period of at least 24 hours.

For moments when gambling needs to stop at once, there is the panic button. Under § 16bb of zákon č. 186/2016 Sb., gambling operators must offer it from 1 July 2024.

1. You activate the button directly in the user interface; it is available to all registered players.
2. The system excludes you instantly and automatically from all the operator's online platforms.
3. For the following 48 hours you will not take part in any gambling.
4. Along with this, you will be offered the chance to file an application for entry into the Register of Excluded Persons (RVO).

What you are entitled to

Under § 16 and § 16b of zákon č. 186/2016 Sb., every player may ask the operator to exclude them from gambling for a set period or permanently.

Where to apply

In the user account, or through the gambling operator.

What the entry means

Entry into the Register of Excluded Persons (RVO) applies across the board to all operators in the Czech Republic. Removal is possible one year after the entry at the earliest.

An entry in the Register of Excluded Persons (RVO) has a clear consequence: the person concerned cannot take part in gambling with any licensed operator in the Czech Republic. The register is kept by the Ministry of Finance (Ministerstvo financí ČR) in accordance with zákon č. 186/2016 Sb.

It lists people who have themselves asked to be excluded, as well as those excluded by law, which includes for example people in enforcement or insolvency proceedings and those who receive certain benefits.

An application for entry can be made:

• through the data box of the Ministry of Finance,
• in the user account with the gambling operator,
• in person at Czech POINT,
• after pressing the panic button, when you simply confirm the application.

In the Czech Republic, only people aged 18 or over may gamble; this follows from zákon č. 186/2016 Sb. The operator must therefore verify the age and identity of every player, for instance via BankID or another verification method. Minors may not take part, and the operator checks this both at registration and when winnings are withdrawn.

The following questions are based on the PGSI questionnaire (Problem Gambling Severity Index). Answer them honestly:

1. Do you spend more money on gambling than you had planned?
2. Has it ever occurred to you that you ought to cut back on gambling?
3. Do you feel guilty because of your gambling?
4. Have you kept playing just to win back money you had lost?
5. Are your duties or your relationships with people suffering because of gambling?
6. Has anyone around you told you that you have a gambling problem?
7. Have you ever borrowed money so that you could gamble?

The test is for guidance only and cannot replace a professional diagnosis. If you answered yes to several questions, consider the prevention tools or contacting professionals.

If gambling has stopped being entertainment, it is a good idea to talk to professionals. Discreet, expert help with gambling addiction is available from the National Helpline for Addiction on 800 350 000, which you can call free of charge and anonymously. Other places to turn to are Společnost Podané ruce (podaneruce.cz) and the Clinic of Addictology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, whose website is adiktologie.cz.

Please use contact@sazka-promo.cz for questions about the content of this responsible gambling page. The same address works for requests for more information.

For adults only: 18+. Only those who have turned 18 may gamble.

Official warning: Ministerstvo financí ČR states that gambling participation may lead to addiction.