Information about responsible gambling

Playing/gambling responsibly means that you enjoy gambling and that no negative consequences result from it. At this point we would like to point out that we use different terms on our website, so 'playing' as well as 'gambling'. The content is exactly the same. Playing responsibly means that you play or gamble in moderation and only spend what you can afford to lose. In such a case, you are a recreational player or gambler.

With our various tools and information, we offer you a safe environment where you can always play responsibly.

Tips for playing/gambling responsibly:

• Set your personal limits seriously, think about your financial possibilities and how much time you want to spend gambling.

• Do not play under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs

• Only play at legal casinos, which you can recognize by the logo of the gaming authority.

• Only gamble with money you can afford to lose

• Keep an eye on your own gambling behavior by regularly reviewing your gambling history.

• Take regular breaks from gambling

If you have any questions about responsible gaming, feel free to contact us. We are available 24 hours a day.

Watch the video from the Center for Responsible Gambling below: Gambling responsibly in an online casino, on how to keep gambling fun.

Tips for responsible gambling | Center for Responsible Gambling

During registration, all players are asked to set certain play limits.

These are firstly a deposit limit and a time limit. This determines your maximum daily, weekly or monthly deposit at Starcasino, and the maximum amount of time you want to play.

We make sure you get a notification every 30 minutes about the time you are gambling. This allows you to keep a close eye on how long you are playing and stop before you reach your own limit. This is to ensure that you do not gamble longer that than you actually want or can.

We also have the legal net deposit limits that give you extra protection (see under the heading 'Net deposit limits').

In addition, you must also provide a balance limit . If you have more than this amount in your StarCasino account, it will be paid out automatically to your bank account number known to us.

What else should you know about your personal limits?

• If you later wish to change your limits, you may do so under the following conditions: If you want to lower your limits, this will take effect immediately. If you want to increase your limits, it has to be within your means and it takes 7 days.

• The time limit is subject to a maximum of 8 hours per day for players 24 years and older.

• The time limit is subject to a maximum of 4 hours per day for players aged 20 to 23.

• The time limit is subject to a maximum of 2 hours per day for players aged 18 or 19.

• The balance limit is subject to a maximum of €2500 for players aged 18 to 23.

When entering your deposit limit , it is further important to know the maximum amount of money you can and want to spend on gambling. Take your income, deduct all expenses, savings and monthly costs. Then you will be left with an amount you can spend on gambling. Below is an example to help you calculate your limits.

You take your total net monthly income and then subtract all your monthly expenses.

EXAMPLE:

In this case, there is €300 left at the end of the month. You could choose to set your deposit limit to €300 per month. This means you can't deposit more than that amount. In this way, you will make sure that you can continue to pay your monthly expenses in order to live well by yourself and thus avoid getting into financial trouble because of gambling.

To help you with this, you can use online tools such as the Nibud personal budget advice.

Do you have questions about these limits? Then contact our customer service team.

In some cases it is not recommended or even impossible (for example: if you are a minor) to sign up at Starcasino or other gambling sites. This applies to you if you can answer "yes" to one or more of the following questions:

• Are you under the age of 18?

• Do you have a gambling suspension? In other words, are you registered with CRUKS, the Central Register for Exclusion from Gambling, or do you have another gambling ban?

• Do you yourself have an active playing break (exclusion) at another gambling site, possibly due to risky playing behavior, and therefore want to apply? Click here for information and/or help with gambling problems: https://www.openovergokken.nl/.

• Do you have a gambling addiction?

• Do you have an intellectual disability?

• Don't have a valid ID?

If you can answer 'yes' to one or more of the questions, we recommend that you do not register at Starcasino.com or other gambling sites. If you need help or advice, please contact our customer service team.

Always think twice before gambling:

Have / are you currently ...

... under the influence of alcohol or drugs?

... debts? ... problems making financial ends meet?

... psychological problems?

... problems at home or in the social circle? ... planning to "make" money by gambling?

... an urge to recover losses?

... activities that you abandon in order to gamble? ... planning to gamble with borrowed money? ... in a moment of despair or stress? If yes, we strongly discourage you from gambling at this time.

It is very important to keep gambling under control. Do you lose control? Then problems can arise and gambling can even lead to gambling addiction.

Problems in gambling occur when you can no longer control how long you play and how much money you spend on gambling. This can be harmful to yourself, but also to those around you, such as family, friends or your relationships with work colleagues.

What is gambling addiction?

Excessive gambling, gambling addiction or a gambling disorder is described in the DSM-5, the manual of psychiatric disorders, which is used to diagnose mental illness. We speak of a gambling addiction or gambling disorder when you have problems in certain areas of your life as a result of gambling. The DSM-5 describes these issues, such as for example: you gamble to win back lost money, you lie about the number of hours and amount of money you gamble, or you try to cut down or stop gambling, but you don't succeed. Here are the symptoms that are looked at to diagnose a gambling disorder according to the DSM-5:

• Having to gamble with increasing amounts to achieve the desired excitement.

• Being irritable or agitated when reducing or stopping gambling.

• Failed attempts to reduce or stop or gain control over gambling.

• Being obsessed with gambling.

• Frequently gambling when feeling discontent.

• Engaging in gambling again to regain lost money.

• Lying about the number of hours you spent gambling or the amount of money you lost gambling.

• Risking or losing your relationships, job or career by gambling.

• Relying on others for money or to relieve debts incurred through gambling.

A gambling addiction develops gradually; you do not become addicted after just one gamble. Therefore, it is important to monitor your own gambling behavior and recognize risky gambling behaviors. For example: You play longer and more often and you can no longer pay your bills because you have spent your money on gambling. Or you stop playing sports or visiting your friends because you prefer to spend money or time on gambling. This changes your relationship with your friends and makes you less physically fit. These are examples of gambling-related harm. You could even lose your job because you no longer function well at work. These are important points to recognize as soon as possible. This kind of risky gambling behavior could lead to a gambling addiction.

As with other addictions, there are often unpleasant consequences involved. One of these consequences is that it is very difficult to stop, which can even progress to not being able to resist gambling. You no longer have control over your feelings and suffer withdrawal symptoms such as gloom, sweating and feeling restless. This is often accompanied by feelings of shame and guilt, which can make it difficult to ask for help. Hence, we would like to protect you from this and also recommend seeking help. With help there is definitely the possibility of quitting.

At Starcasino, we feel it is very important to create a safe environment and want to encourage our players to gamble responsibly. We recommend using as many of our tools and options as possible to keep good track of your own gambling behavior. In addition, we are available 24 hours a day to assist you. If you have questions about problematic gambling, gambling addiction and responsible gambling, we are happy to help.

Signs of problematic gambling and gambling addictionIn order to take early action and/or ask for help, here are some signs that might indicate problematic gambling or a gambling addiction.

• Are you irritable or have frustrated feelings when you are not gambling?

• Do you often think about gambling in your daily life? For example, looking forward to gambling after work or even thinking in the morning about how much money you can spend on gambling?

• Do you bet higher and higher when gambling? The stakes in gambling games go up and you deposit more and more money?

• Do you try to win back your losses?

• Do you gamble more and more? Do you spend more and more time gambling and find it hard to stop?

• Do you try to push away unpleasant feelings and problems by gambling?

• Do you have health problems such as headaches, insomnia or depression? Or do you think about self-harm or suicide?

• Are you not honest with your social circle about the amount of time and money you spend on gambling?

• Are relationships, work or personal, damaged or lost because of gambling?

• Do you gamble with money that does not belong to you, such as borrowed money or credit?

If you recognize one or more of the signs in yourself, we advise you not to continue playing and to take action. This can be done in several ways, by contacting our customer service and/or assistance and by using our tools. There are several options, from self-testing, lowering limits to taking a break from playing or signing up with CRUKS or another gambling stop such as Betblocker or Gamban to prevent you from continuing to gamble. See the heading Help Agencies for more information on the different gambling stops. We also recommend finding and contacting a counseling agency. Then together you can start looking at what is going on, to what extent this is problematic gambling and what is the best way to deal with it.

In addition to limits, you also have other options at Starcasino to examine, limit or stop your gambling. These include the self-test, your transaction and game history, play break and exclusion from promotions.

Self-test

Answering a self-test honestly can give you a good idea of your gambling behavior and to what extent it might be problematic for yourself and those around you. Especially if you sometimes worry about your gambling, we recommend you to take the self-test.

For more information about the self-test, and the possibility to do the self-test anonymously, you can visit Open over Gokken ('Open about Gambling', formerly known as Loket Kansspel). There you will find a number of options to test yourself and gain insight into your gambling behavior: https://openovergokken.nl/zelftest/.

You can also visit the Center for Responsible Gambling to do a self-test. Self test - A gambling problem or not? | Center for Responsible Gambling

Account history

To gain insight into your gambling behavior, in addition to doing the self-test you can always check your account history. Once you are logged in, you can see an overview of your:

• current balance;

• Balance at the beginning of your current session;

• total amount wagered during your current session;

• total wins/losses during your current session.

• total time of your current session and overview per month.

This overview is also shown when you go to the responsible gaming page. In addition, in the account history you can view the historical game and transactions. This allows you to keep track of your total spending, wagers, winnings and losses.

Exclusion from promotions

It is possible for players 24 years and older to opt out of promotions, temporarily or permanently. Players under the age of 24 do not receive promotions anyway. This group of young adults is a vulnerable group and is especially prone to losing control over gambling, and not receiving promotions can certainly help you avoid being tempted to gamble when you might otherwise. To exclude yourself from promotions, go to your account settings. In some cases, when we suspect that players are playing excessively, Starcasino itself may also decide that it is better for a player not to receive promotions. If this applies to you, of course our customer service team will be happy to explain exactly how this works.

Play break

It may help to take a time-out by taking a play break. For the set period it will not be possible to gamble at StarCasino. Just keep in mind that if you also play on other websites, or any other land-based casino, it's best to take a play break there as well. You can set a break from gambling for 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days. On your account, go to "Play responsibly" under your account settings. If you want to set a play break for a different period of time, please contact customer support.

It is possible to exclude yourself completely from all legal gambling in the Netherlands by registering in CRUKS, the Central Register on Exclusion of Games of Chance. This applies for a period of at least 6 months.

See https://gokstop.nl/ for more information on the CRUKS gambling ban.

Starcasino has had a risk analysis conducted by the independent party, the Center for Responsible Gambling, to determine the risk of our offered games of chance. This looks at specific characteristics that could lead to immoderate playing behavior and possible gambling addiction. The method used for the risk analysis of the games is called ASTERIG, which is an abbreviation for 'Assessment Tool to Measure and Evaluate the Risk Potential of Gambling Products'. Or in Dutch: an assessment tool to measure and evaluate the risk potential of gambling products.

Here is an overview of the different games offered by Starcasino with the corresponding risk category: Slots, roulette, blackjack, live casino, sports betting: High Slots with jackpot: Very high

As also described by the Center for Responsible Gambling, there are roughly three types of players. Below, the types are briefly explained to better understand your own playing behavior. You can also gain personal insight through a self-test or your transaction and gaming history.

Recreational player

If you play in moderation and only spend what you can afford to lose (you have a budget you stick to), then you are a recreational player. In other words, you play for fun and do so responsibly by managing your playing behavior with limits and possibly other tools at your disposal.

Risk player

If you seek the edge of excitement while playing, bet more or more often than planned and often fail to take your winnings, then you are a risk player. It is important to monitor your gambling behavior and seek help in time to regain control. We also recommend that you use our tools as much as possible to protect yourself and prevent things from getting worse.

Problem player

It may be that gambling is so important to you that you feel the urge to play, and you can't really do without. If you recognize yourself in this, it is important to consider a break or exclusion and/or seek help. A problem player has a high risk of experiencing gambling-related problems. In the following section you will find an overview of the help agencies that are available to you.

Young adults

Age can play an important role in the development of risky or problematic gambling. Players aged 18 through 23 are called young adults and are at higher risk of developing gambling problems. This group is automatically excluded from bonuses and other promotions. They are also subject to lower limits at Starcasino than players aged 24 and older, which can only be adjusted upon request. This is to provide additional protection against excessive gambling. Moreover, young adults are regularly reminded of the risks of gambling in order to create additional awareness of their own playing behavior. Young adults fall directly into the risk player category at Starcasino.com.

Vulnerable groups

Just as we protect young adults extra, as there is a higher risk in developing gambling problems anyway, there are a number of other vulnerable groups that we would like to offer more protection to. These are the individuals:

• Who exhibit characteristics of risky gaming behavior;

• With (a history of) debt;

• With (a history of) addiction;

• who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs;

• with cognitive or intellectual disabilities;

• who are at or below the social minimum and cannot support themselves.

If you fall under one of these groups, please let us know through customer service so we can offer you additional protection.

If you can't manage to keep gambling fun all the time, there are several agencies that can help you. Below is a brief overview of the help agencies that Starcasino recommends, with a brief explanation of exactly what they do. Contacting these organizations is completely free and confidential.

If you would like guidance in finding appropriate help, be sure to visit your own family doctor. They can help you find the right organizations or refer you directly.

Open over Gokken (Open about Gambling)

Open over Gokken ('Open about Gambling', formerly Loket Kansspel) was established as a central support center for gambling problems. You can go there for self-help and counseling. If you need more in-depth help, you'll find information about local and regional support organizations.

For immediate help, you can call Open over Gokken day and night on 0800 24 000 22, and between 8 a.m. and 0 a.m. you can always speak to someone via Whatsapp at 06 598 183 31 or live chat.

You can visit the website of Open over Gokken via https://openovergokken.nl/.

The Help Desk also offers help to the loved ones of someone with gambling problems. If you are looking for help for your partner, father, mother or friend, visit Open over Gokken - Worried about someone else.

Center for Responsible Gambling

You can also visit the Center for Responsible Gambling for more insight and advice on gambling and gambling behavior. There you will find a self-test, explanations of different types of players and tips on what to do if you show signs of problematic gambling. The players section of the Center for Responsible Gambling can be visited at https://spelers.centrumvoorverantwoordgokken.org/.

You will also find help for the loved ones of someone with a gambling problem. If you want help and tips, how to deal with a loved one with gambling problems, click here: https://spelers.centrumvoorverantwoordgokken.org/hoe-weet-ik-of-iemand-een-gokprobleem-heeft/index

AGOG

The AGOG foundation was established to provide help to people who have problematic gambling and to people who are concerned about the gambling behavior of someone they love. They organize group meetings of anonymous gamblers and their loved ones throughout the Netherlands. The AGOG website lists all meetings with contact information: https://www.agog.nl/de-agog/.

Care map the Netherlands

Through Zorgkaart Nederland it is possible to find professional help in the field of addiction and addiction prevention (addiction care) on a local and regional level.Zorgkaart Nederland can be visited at https://www.zorgkaartnederland.nl/verslavingszorg.

113.nl

If you are walking around with thoughts of suicide you can contact 113.nl day and night. You can call the suicide prevention line toll free at 0800-0113 or chat at https://www.113.nl/.

If you feel that you no longer have control over your gambling behavior, it is possible to exclude yourself completely from gambling via CRUKS, the Central Register Exclusion of Games of Chance. If you choose to do this, you will no longer have access to gambling sites, offline casinos and gambling halls with a Dutch license for a period of at least six months. If you want to apply such a gambling ban, visit https://cruksregister.nl/.

If you are someone close to a problem gambler, it is also possible to apply for a gambling ban for the problem gambler. More information can be found at https://cruksregister.nl/PartnerGokverslaafd.

It is also possible for Starcasino to make a report to CRUKS in response to someone gambling problematically. Read more about this in the addiction prevention policy section.

Once you are barred from gambling through CRUKS you will no longer have access to online casinos, slot machine halls or land-based casinos licensed in the Netherlands. To block access to international sites, where it is sometimes possible to register (illegally) from the Netherlands, you can install Gamban or Betblocker, for example. This is a blocking software and with it you have, as it were, an extra protection on top of the CRUKS registration. For more information go to https://gamban.com/, you can try this software for free. The same goes for Bet Blocker (betblocker.org), this is free and anonymous for legal and illegal websites.

Via Open over Gokken ('Open about Gambling') you can find further advice on exclusion, including in other countries: https://openovergokken.nl/gokstop/.

Starcasino has established an addiction prevention policy to ensure that players do not get into trouble while gambling. In addition to the limits and tools on the website, the addiction prevention policy also covers identifying signs of excessive gambling or possible gambling addiction. This is done based on several factors, including: the number of playing minutes per day, the number of limit adjustments, amount and quantity of wagers and deposits, the use and application of bonuses and exceptional playing behavior. When we talk about exceptional playing behavior, we mean signals such as expressions of frustration, irritation, communication with customer service representatives, but also, for example, gambling during the night. Based on these signals, a personal risk profile is developed for each player. Depending on the risk profile, players can receive interventions from Starcasino aimed at moderating gambling where necessary. This can be through a pop-up, an e-mail or a telephone contact moment.

Risk profile information is also used by employees of the responsible gaming team, always and only for the purpose of addiction prevention and taking appropriate actions where necessary. This includes game risk analysis, in which the risk factors of the various games of chance are measured and evaluated. If we see that a player mainly plays the games with the highest risk, we include this in our analysis of playing behavior.

Initial actions usually involve advice on responsible gaming and awareness of one's gaming behavior. If these actions do not help and gambling is not moderated, then the next action will go a little further, for example in the form of a temporary exclusion from bonuses or an overall break from playing for a period of time.

The actions or interventions we take are tiered. This means that the more signals there are of potentially problematic gambling behavior, the more action we take. We start with a lighter intervention, if this does not have the desired effect, we take action again with a slightly heavier intervention. We do this by informing and protecting you as best we can from gambling-related harm or even gambling addiction.

As explained earlier, we are extra protective of vulnerable groups such as young adults. Hence, they have lower limits and also fall directly under the group of high-risk players.

Involuntary exclusion CRUKS

If the actions mentioned above do not help and gambling seems to become or remain problematic, this will result in the closure of the player's account and possible recommendation for enrollment at CRUKS. You will always receive an explanation from us if something like this applies to your account.

If we find that the playing behavior is, or has become problematic and we do not see any improvements in the playing behavior despite the various interventions, we will take action and make an involuntary registration with CRUKS. CRUKS will then conduct their own investigation into the playing behavior and based on this they will assess whether a gambling stop is necessary.

All of these actions stem from our official addiction prevention policy and are all designed to prevent gambling addiction and gambling problems as much as possible.