Responsible Gambling

At Shikaka, we believe that gambling should always be an enjoyable and entertaining activity. We are deeply committed to promoting responsible gambling practices and ensuring a safe environment for all our players. Our policies and tools are designed to help you maintain control over your gaming habits, recognise potential issues, and access support when needed. We understand that for a small number of individuals, gambling can transition from a harmless pastime into a serious problem. Our proactive approach focuses on prevention, intervention, and providing resources to minimise the risks associated with problem gambling. We continuously review and update our measures to align with best practices and regulatory requirements set by our licensing authority.

Understanding problem gambling is the first step towards addressing it. Problem gambling is characterised by a persistent and recurring maladaptive gambling behaviour that disrupts personal, family, or vocational pursuits. It is not always obvious, and individuals may try to conceal their difficulties. Some common indicators include:

• Spending more money or time on gambling than you can afford or intended.
• Chasing losses, meaning you gamble more to try and win back money you have lost.
• Feeling irritable or anxious when trying to cut down or stop gambling.
• Neglecting responsibilities at work, school, or home due to gambling.
• Borrowing money or selling possessions to fund gambling.
• Lying to family and friends about the extent of your gambling.
• Gambling to escape from problems, anxiety, or depression.
• Experiencing financial difficulties, relationship problems, or legal issues because of gambling.

If you recognise any of these signs in yourself or someone you know, it is important to seek help. Shikaka encourages open communication and provides tools to assist.

Maintaining control over your gambling activities is crucial for a positive experience. Here are some practical tips to help you keep gambling enjoyable and prevent it from becoming a problem:

• Gamble for entertainment, not as a way to make money: View gambling as a form of leisure, similar to going to the cinema or playing a sport.
• Set a budget and stick to it: Decide how much money you can comfortably afford to lose before you start, and do not exceed that amount.
• Set a time limit: Determine how long you will play and stop when that time is up, regardless of whether you are winning or losing.
• Never chase losses: Accept that losses are part of gambling and do not try to win back money you have lost by gambling more.
• Balance gambling with other activities: Ensure gambling does not become your sole source of entertainment or escape.
• Do not gamble when stressed, upset, or under the influence: Emotional states or intoxicants can impair judgment.
• Take regular breaks: Step away from the game periodically to clear your head.

Shikaka offers various tools to assist you in managing these aspects of your play.

To empower you with greater control over your gambling, Shikaka provides robust tools for setting personal limits. These limits can be applied to deposits, losses, and wagers over specific timeframes. Once set, these limits prevent you from exceeding your predetermined thresholds, helping you manage your spending and time effectively. You can set:

• Deposit Limits: Restrict the total amount of money you can deposit into your Shikaka account over a daily, weekly, or monthly period.
• Loss Limits: Define the maximum amount of money you are willing to lose over a daily, weekly, or monthly period. Once this limit is reached, you will be prevented from placing further bets until the period resets.
• Wager Limits: Control the total amount of money you can wager over a daily, weekly, or monthly period.

You can adjust these limits at any time. Increasing a limit will typically involve a cooling-off period before it takes effect, providing an opportunity for reconsideration. Decreasing a limit, however, will usually take effect immediately. These features are accessible within your account settings on the Shikaka platform.

If you feel the need to take a short break from gambling, Shikaka offers Time-Out and Cool-Off options. These features allow you to temporarily restrict access to your account for a defined period without fully self-excluding. During a Time-Out or Cool-Off period, you will not be able to deposit funds or place bets. You will still be able to log in to withdraw any remaining balance. This can be a useful tool for a short break to reflect on your gambling habits or to prevent impulsive play. You can typically choose durations ranging from 24 hours to several weeks. Once the selected period expires, your account will automatically reactivate.

For individuals who feel they need a more significant break from gambling, Shikaka provides comprehensive Self-Exclusion options. Self-exclusion allows you to block access to your account for a longer, predetermined period, typically ranging from six months to five years, or even permanently. During a self-exclusion period:

• You will be unable to log in to your Shikaka account.
• You will not receive any marketing or promotional materials from us.
• We will take all reasonable steps to prevent you from opening new accounts with us.
• Any remaining funds in your account will be returned to you, subject to our standard withdrawal procedures.

Self-exclusion is a serious commitment and cannot be reversed once activated. We encourage you to consider the duration carefully. If you opt for self-exclusion, we also recommend that you consider self-excluding from any other gambling operators you may use and seek professional support.

Shikaka is strictly committed to preventing underage gambling. It is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to gamble. We employ robust age verification procedures to ensure that no one under the legal age can access our services. During the registration process, all players are required to confirm they are over 18 years old, and we utilise third-party verification tools to confirm identity and age. We also advise parents and guardians to:

• Use filtering software to block access to gambling websites.
• Keep their Shikaka account details confidential and secure.
• Educate minors about the risks of underage gambling.
• Monitor internet activity on shared devices.

If we discover that a minor has accessed our services, their account will be immediately closed, and any winnings will be forfeited.

To help you monitor your gambling activity and stay aware of the time spent playing, Shikaka offers Reality Checks and Session Reminders. A Reality Check is a pop-up notification that appears at predetermined intervals while you are playing. This reminder will inform you:

• How long you have been playing during your current session.
• Your total wins and losses during that session.

You will then be given the option to continue playing, review your account history, or exit the game. This feature is designed to provide regular prompts, encouraging you to take breaks and consider your activity. You can customise the frequency of these Reality Checks within your account settings, allowing you to choose intervals that best suit your personal preferences for responsible play.

If you are concerned about your gambling habits but are unsure whether you have a problem, taking a self-assessment can be a helpful first step. Shikaka provides access to a self-assessment questionnaire designed to help you evaluate your gambling behaviour. This questionnaire asks a series of questions about your gambling patterns, feelings, and the impact gambling has on your life. Your responses are confidential and are intended to provide you with insights into whether your gambling might be problematic. It is not a diagnostic tool, but it can serve as a valuable indicator and prompt you to seek further advice or support if needed. This assessment is available within the Responsible Gaming section of our website and can be completed anonymously.

If gambling stops being fun, free and confidential help is available. These organisations are independent of this site and of any operator:

International support (any country)

• Gambling Therapy (free global online support in 30+ languages)
• GamCare, National Gambling Helpline · Helpline: 0808 8020 133
• Gamblers Anonymous (international 12-step fellowship, find local meetings)