Responsible Gambling
Need help right now? Free, confidential support is available 24/7 from the Gambling Helpline NZ on 0800 654 655 or by free text to 8006. You can also call or text 1737 at any time to reach a trained counsellor.
This site covers Mr Fortune, a real-money online casino available to New Zealand players. The framing throughout is simple: gambling is paid entertainment with a downside that not everyone can manage safely. This page is practical guidance for before, during and after a decision to play. Wider context is on the About page, and the editorial commitments behind the analysis on the Editorial Policy page.
1. Treat any deposit as the cost of entertainment
This is the rule that matters most. Money deposited at Mr Fortune (or any online casino) should be treated as spent the moment you confirm it, like money spent on a rugby ticket or a meal out. If some comes back as winnings, that is a bonus. If it doesn't, the loss must be one you can absorb without touching rent, groceries, bills or the people who depend on you. Set a deposit cap in actual dollars before you start, and stop when you hit it.
2. Five questions to ask before signing up
- Could I lose this whole deposit and feel only mildly annoyed? If the honest answer is no, the deposit is too big.
- Is this disposable income, not savings, credit or borrowed money? Gambling on credit is one of the clearest warning signs of harm.
- Have I set a session time limit in advance? Casino lobbies are designed to make time disappear; a timer on the desk does the job.
- Am I playing for fun, or because something else is wrong? Boredom, loneliness, money pressure and recent losses all make harm more likely.
- What is my plan if I lose the cap? "I stop" is the only good answer; decide it before you start.
3. Player-protection tools at Mr Fortune
Mr Fortune provides the standard set of safer-gambling tools inside the account, with no need to go through support:
| Tool | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit, loss and wager limits | Cap how much you can deposit, lose or stake over a set period. | From day one, before the first deposit. |
| Session-time limits and reality checks | Reminders and limits on how long a session runs. | Switch on by default. |
| Time-out | A short cooling-off block during which the account cannot be used. | After a session that felt out of control, or before a stressful period. |
| Self-exclusion | A longer block, up to permanent closure. | Whenever you are no longer confident you can keep play within healthy limits. |
Our analyst Felix Carter checks how easy these tools are to find and switch on as part of every casino analysis. With an active daily-promotions calendar, it pays to set limits early. Promotions are designed to bring you back; limits make sure you return only on your own terms.
4. Exclusion beyond one site
An exclusion set at Mr Fortune covers only that operator. Under the Gambling Act 2003, New Zealand casinos and pokie venues can exclude people who ask, and the Gambling Helpline NZ and the Problem Gambling Foundation (PGF) can help you arrange exclusion from several venues at once. If you exclude from one site, consider blocking gambling sites on your devices and asking your bank about gambling transaction blocks.
5. Warning signs of problem gambling
No single sign settles it, but together they deserve attention.
- Spending more time or money on gambling than you planned, again and again.
- Going back to "win back" what you lost.
- Gambling with money meant for rent, food, bills or other people.
- Borrowing, using credit cards or selling things to keep playing.
- Lying about how much time or money goes into gambling.
- Feeling restless, irritable or low when trying to cut back.
- Gambling to escape boredom, loneliness, stress or relationship problems.
- Hiding gambling from people close to you.
If two or more of these sound familiar, free support is available straight away.
6. New Zealand helplines and support services
Gambling Helpline NZ
0800 654 655
Free, confidential support 24/7 by phone, or free text 8006. Open to family and friends as well. gamblinghelpline.co.nz
Problem Gambling Foundation
0800 664 262
Free counselling and support services across New Zealand; text 5819 or use live chat. pgf.nz
Māori and Pasifika Gambling Helplines
0800 654 656 · 0800 654 657
Culturally grounded support run through the Gambling Helpline service. gamblinghelpline.co.nz
Need to talk? 1737
1737
Free call or text any time to reach a trained counsellor, including for stress or low mood linked to gambling losses.
Specialist Gambling Helpline lines are also available for young people (0800 654 659), and free financial mentoring is offered through MoneyTalks if gambling losses have turned into debt.
7. Practical safer-play habits
- Set deposit limits in your Mr Fortune account as soon as you register, before any deposit. It is easier to start low and raise limits later than the other way round.
- Never deposit on credit. Use a debit method or an e-wallet funded only with spare money.
- Plan sessions in advance, like any other paid entertainment, and avoid playing when stressed or bored.
- Run a session clock. A plain kitchen timer works better than any in-game reminder.
- Keep a simple log of each session: deposit, time spent and end balance.
- Talk about it. Share your monthly gambling spend with someone you trust; secrecy is a strong signal of trouble.
- Use time-outs and self-exclusion without shame. They exist to be used.
8. Helping someone else
If you are reading this because of someone close to you: gambling harm is rarely about willpower, and treating it that way usually deepens the secrecy that feeds it. The helplines above are open to family, whānau and friends; you do not need to be the person gambling to call. Money pressure is often the first visible sign, and financial mentoring can help even before the gambling itself is addressed.
9. The commitment of this site
This site is funded by affiliate commissions when readers click through to Mr Fortune and register; the details are on the Affiliate Disclosure page. The same logic cuts both ways: a site that encourages harm loses its readers. The Mr Fortune analysis links to this page and to New Zealand helplines, and concerns can be raised through the Contact page.
10. If you are in immediate distress
Free help is available right now. Gambling Helpline NZ: 0800 654 655 or free text 8006. Need to talk? Call or text 1737. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 111.
Any information you share with this site while looking for help is handled under the Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.