LARO77 Problem Gambler: Early Signs, Tools and Help Lines
A problem gambler is, in PAGCOR's Code of Practice, someone affected by gambling to the point of no longer having normal control or rational judgment.
Key facts and contents
- LARO77 Parental Controls
- Set parental controls in three layers: block gambling sites in the child's browser (Family Link or Screen Time), require your approval for every purchase (Google Play approvals or Ask to Buy), and lock your own wallet.
- LARO77 Sugal in English
- Sugal in English is gambling: the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino dictionary defines it as any of the games with a stake, and as taking a risk for a person or thing.
- LARO77 Loan Shark Warning
- A loan shark is a moneylender who charges extremely high interest, typically under illegal conditions.
- LARO77 Site Blocker Setup for Your Phone and Computer
- Set up a site blocker by adding a dedicated gambling blocker on every phone, tablet and computer you use, locking it with a passcode someone else holds, and adding your phone's own Screen Time or Digital Wellbeing limits.
- LARO77 Account Closure
- Withdraw or note your balance, settle open offers under their terms, send the closure request in writing through Customer Service, ask for written confirmation, then remove saved passwords and add a blocker.
- LARO77 Hopeline
- Hopeline is the crisis line of the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation.
- LARO77 Net Loss
- Net loss is total staked minus total returned over a period, or deposits minus withdrawals minus the balance left.
- LARO77 Problem Gambler
- A problem gambler is, in PAGCOR's Code of Practice, someone affected by gambling to the point of no longer having normal control or rational judgment.
- LARO77 Lucky Streak
- A lucky streak is a run of wins that randomness produces now and then.
A problem gambler is a player whose gambling has started to cost more than money, and you can check yourself against that description in about five minutes. This page gives you PAGCOR’s own definition, the PGSI score bands, the American Psychiatric Association’s list of criteria and PAGCOR’s warning signs, then the tools that act on them. Everything here is for readers aged 21+, and every step is something you can do today.
If a sign below fits, do not wait for the next session to decide. Pick one tool from the sections after the table and use it before you play again. The spokes in this cluster go deeper on each tool, starting with the plain meaning of sugal in English and how a site blocker closes the door.
Who is a problem gambler?
PAGCOR, the Philippine gaming regulator, defines the term in its Responsible Gaming Code of Practice version 6.0. The same document defines problem gambling itself, and the two definitions give you a working test: harm to you or to the people around you.
| Term | PAGCOR’s wording (Code of Practice 6.0) |
|---|---|
| Problem Gambler | “an individual affected by gambling to the point of no longer having normal control or rational judgment, leading to problems in other areas” |
| Problem Gambling | “an urge to continuously gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop” |
The Code adds that the condition is “often defined by whether harm is experienced by the gambler or others, rather than by the gambler’s behavior.” That sentence matters for you. Hours played and pesos spent are not the test; harm is.
A definition is not a diagnosis. Only a clinician can diagnose, and nothing on this page labels you. Use it to decide what to do next.
PGSI: the nine-item score
The Problem Gambling Severity Index, written PGSI, is a screening scale. The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland describes it on its own page as “a brief, 9-item self-report measure of problematic gambling behaviours”, developed by Ferris and Wynne (2001) for the general population rather than for a clinic. The nine questions sit on that authority’s own test page, so take the test there and bring the total back here.
| PGSI total | Band on the GRAI page | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | Low risk | Keep your limits written down and review them monthly |
| 3-7 | Moderate risk | Add a blocker or a limit today and read the signs table below |
| 8 or more | High risk | “It is strongly advised that you seek support”: call a help line below |
The GRAI page asks you to take the test truthfully “to get an honest picture of where your gambling currently sits”. Retake it after 30 days of the tools below, and compare the two totals.
What the American Psychiatric Association lists
The American Psychiatric Association’s patient page on gambling disorder says it “involves repeated, problem gambling behavior” and that “a diagnosis of gambling disorder requires at least four of the following during the past year”. Its page lists these seven:
- Need to gamble with increasing amounts to achieve the desired excitement.
- Restless or irritable when trying to cut down or stop gambling.
- Repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back on or stop gambling.
- Frequent thoughts about gambling (such as reliving past gambling or planning future gambling).
- Often gambling when feeling distressed.
- After losing money gambling, often returning to get even. (This is referred to as “chasing” one’s losses.)
- Relying on others to help with money problems caused by gambling.
Count how many fit you over the past year. The count does not diagnose you, but it tells you which tool to reach for. Items 6 and 7 point to chasing losses and the lucky streak belief and to money pressure, which the loan shark page covers.
Gamblers Anonymous publishes 20 questions of its own. Question 7 asks: “After losing did you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses?” Question 10 asks: “Did you ever borrow to finance your gambling?”
Early signs of a problem gambler, and the next step
PAGCOR’s responsible gaming page lists the warning signs in plain words: spending or betting more than you meant to, gambling for longer than you planned, and trying again and again to win back what you lost. It adds debt, missed bills, borrowing, stealing or selling belongings, constant thoughts about gambling, damaged relationships, and feeling hopeless, anxious or depressed. The table turns each into a session check.
| Sign (PAGCOR) | What it looks like in a session | Next step on this site |
|---|---|---|
| Betting more than meant | You raise the stake after a loss | Write a stake cap before you log in; see the house edge behind every game for what a bigger stake costs |
| Playing longer than planned | You miss the alarm you set | Set a session time limit and close the tab when it rings |
| Winning back losses | You say “one more” after a bad run | Work out your net loss from the play history before the next deposit |
| Borrowing or selling things | A friend, lender or pawn counter funds the next deposit | Read how a loan shark’s interest adds up |
| Thinking about it constantly | Sessions run in your head at work or in bed | Add a site blocker on every device |
| Relationships suffer | Family asks where the money went | Hand the passcode to someone you trust and read parental controls for shared devices |
Three signs or more in one week is your cue to stop for the day and call someone.
Tools you set before a session
Decide these while you are calm, then leave them alone. Responsible play on LARO77 lists the same limits in short form.
- Set a money limit. PAGCOR’s reminders say “Never borrow money or use all of your resources for gambling.” Pick an amount you would not miss tomorrow.
- Set a time limit. PAGCOR’s reminder reads “Set time limits for each gambling session.” Use your phone alarm.
- Block the sites. A dedicated blocker stops gambling pages from loading; the site blocker steps cover BetBlocker, Gamban and your phone’s own controls.
- Close the account. Account closure at an online casino shows what to settle before you send the request.
- Exclude yourself. PAGCOR’s exclusion programme is below.
- Tell one person. Choose someone who can see your phone bill.
The best time for all six is before you open the LARO77 casino lobby again, and the best help is a person.
PAGCOR’s exclusion programme
PAGCOR’s exclusion page offers two programmes. Self exclusion is for patrons who feel they are developing a problem; family exclusion is for a spouse, child or parent who needs help.
| Programme | Periods PAGCOR offers | Terms on PAGCOR’s page |
|---|---|---|
| Self exclusion | 6 months, 1 year, 5 years | First six months irrevocable; lifted automatically after the period; photocopy of a government-issued photo ID and two 2x2 colored photos |
| Family exclusion | 6 months, 1 year, 3 years | Lifted automatically after the period; ID of the respondent and of the applicant; birth certificate or marriage certificate |
PAGCOR says the exclusion is “implemented across all sites, licensed and operated by PAGCOR”. Send the application to ResponsibleGaming@pagcor.ph or use the drop box at MET Live Building, Central Business Park 1-A, Macapagal Blvd cor. EDSA Extension, Pasay City. Download the forms from PAGCOR’s own exclusion page, and read how it applies to the site you play on in PAGCOR’s lists and the trusted online casino checks.
Help lines whose numbers are saved from their own pages
Every number below comes from the named body’s own page or from PAGCOR’s accredited help list. Check the number on the owner’s site before you dial; numbers change.
| Who | Number or contact | What the page says |
|---|---|---|
| PAGCOR Responsible Gaming | (02) 8248-9568; ResponsibleGaming@pagcor.ph | “For more information and assistance” |
| Bridges of Hope | (02) 622-0193 / 0917 509 8826; help@bridgesofhope.com.ph | PAGCOR-accredited help centre, branches nationwide |
| Gamblers Anonymous Philippines | +63 915 938 2808; talktous@gaphilippines.com | Face-to-face and Zoom meetings, daily virtual meetings |
| Gam-Anon Philippines | 0995 110 1327; reachout@gam-anonphilippines.org | “24-Hour Gam-Anon Hotline” for families and friends |
| In Touch Crisis Line | +63 2 8893 7603; +63 919 056 0709 | “FREE & ANONYMOUS 24/7 CRISIS LINE” |
| NCMH Crisis Hotline | 09178998726; 09663514518; 09086392672 | Printed on the Department of Health Cordillera page |
Hopeline names the other bodies, including the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation; take its number from its own site. If you are in danger of self-harm, contact emergency services or a crisis line at once.
Where to go next
Each spoke answers one question on this list.
- What sugal means in English: the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino definitions.
- Setting up a site blocker: block gambling pages on every device.
- Loan shark interest: the 5-6 arithmetic and why borrowed money is the worst bankroll.
- Parental controls: keep a child away from gambling sites.
- Account closure: what to settle before you send the request.
- Hopeline: who answers and who else takes the call.
- Net loss: work out your real number from a play history.
- Lucky streak: why a run of wins predicts nothing.
FAQ
Who is a problem gambler?
PAGCOR's Responsible Gaming Code of Practice defines a problem gambler as an individual affected by gambling to the point of no longer having normal control or rational judgment, leading to problems in other areas. Only a clinician can diagnose; the signs table on this page shows you where to start.
What is the PGSI and what do the scores mean?
The Problem Gambling Severity Index is a 9-item self-report measure. On the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland's page, a score of 0-2 is low risk, 3-7 is moderate risk, and 8 or more is high risk, where it is strongly advised that you seek support.
What are the early signs of a problem gambler?
PAGCOR's responsible gaming page lists betting more than you meant to, gambling for longer than you planned, and trying again and again to win back what you lost. Borrowing, missed bills and constant thoughts about gambling follow.
Can I ban myself from gambling in the Philippines?
Yes. PAGCOR runs a self exclusion programme with periods of 6 months, 1 year and 5 years, and the first six months are irrevocable. PAGCOR says the exclusion is implemented across all sites licensed and operated by PAGCOR.
Who can I call about gambling in the Philippines?
PAGCOR's pages list its Responsible Gaming line at (02) 8248-9568 and accredited help centres, including Gamblers Anonymous Philippines at 0915 938 2808 and Bridges of Hope at (02) 622-0193 or 0917 509 8826. Check each number on its owner's own site before you dial.
Ano ang gagawin ko kung nalulong na ako sa sugal?
Itigil muna ang laro ngayon, isara ang account at i-block ang mga gambling site sa lahat ng device mo. Tapos tumawag sa isa sa mga help line na nakalista sa page na ito at sabihin sa isang taong pinagkakatiwalaan mo.