Responsible play

01Why this page exists

The games in our set are built to be hard to put down: one more match, one more round, one more reward. That is part of what makes them good, and it is also why a site that recommends them should be honest about the downsides and about how to keep play a pleasure rather than a pull.

02Free, confidential help

Paid random items such as loot boxes, card packs and prize wheels share features with gambling: you pay before you know what you will get, and that uncertainty is what makes them easy to keep buying. If the time or money going into games feels out of control, for you or for someone you care about, these organisations help for free and in confidence:

• 

  GamCare

  Free, confidential support for anyone whose play or spending feels out of control, and for the people around them. The National Gambling Helpline, 0808 8020 133, and live chat are open around the clock.

  Visit GamCare
• 

  BeGambleAware

  A UK charity with confidential advice, a short self-assessment and a search tool for free treatment and support near you.

  Visit BeGambleAware
• 

  Gambling Therapy

  Free online support from trained advisers, with peer groups and self-help tools, available worldwide and in many languages.

  Visit Gambling Therapy

03Blocking and treatment

When gaming or spending starts to drift towards gambling, or you are worried that it might, these UK services can block access, offer treatment and support families:

• 

  GAMSTOP

  Free UK self-exclusion. If play has drifted towards gambling websites, it blocks every UK-licensed gambling site and app for six months, one year or five years.

  Visit GAMSTOP
• 

  Gordon Moody

  A UK charity offering residential treatment, online recovery programmes and support for families when gambling has become harmful.

  Visit Gordon Moody

• NHS gambling support

  NHS advice on warning signs and self-help, and how to refer yourself to a specialist NHS clinic in England.

  Visit NHS gambling support

04Urgent help and young people

Free and confidential, for anything that is worrying you, not only games:

• Childline

  For anyone under 19, about anything at all: call 0800 1111 free, or talk to a counsellor online.

  Visit Childline

• Samaritans

  Someone to listen at any hour, without judging: call 116 123 free from any phone.

  Visit Samaritans

• YoungMinds

  Mental health support for young people, and a helpline for parents and carers worried about a child.

  Visit YoungMinds

In an emergency, call 999. For urgent medical advice that is not an emergency, call NHS 111 or visit nhs.uk. You can also text SHOUT to 85258 for free, confidential support at any hour.

05A private self-check

This is a prompt to reflect, not a diagnosis. Your answers stay on this page and are never sent.

06Plan the evening, not just the game

• Decide before you start how long the session is and where the game stops. Every review in our set names an outro.
• Write a setlist on our home page, or use the play-time limits on your console, computer, phone or headset.
• Stop at a save point, never in the middle of a level or a match, so stopping does not feel like losing progress.
• Keep some evenings completely game-free.

07Playing together

• Agree the length of the session with everyone before you start, not when someone wants to leave.
• Make “last round” mean last round. Nobody should feel guilty for leaving at the agreed time.
• Playing with friends you know makes stopping easier: strangers will never ask you to stay for one more.

08Flashing light and photosensitivity

A small number of people can have seizures triggered by flashing lights or patterns, sometimes for the first time and without any history of epilepsy. Fast games, music modes and live in-game events are often full of strobing light. Read each game’s warning, play in a well-lit room, sit well back from the screen and stop at once if you feel dizzy, see altered vision or notice twitching. If anyone in the family has epilepsy, talk to a doctor before playing.

09Hearing and headphones

• Keep headphones at around 60% volume at most, and take them off at least once an hour.
• Turn on the headphone safety alerts on your phone, console or headset where they exist.
• If you cannot hear someone talking to you from an arm’s length away, it is too loud.
• Ringing or muffled ears after playing are a warning sign; see a GP if they do not settle.

10Rest, eyes, body and sleep

• Every twenty minutes, look at something about six metres away for twenty seconds.
• Every half hour or so, stand up for five to ten minutes, stretch and drink some water.
• In a headset, clear the play area, set the boundary and take regular breaks; take it off at once if you feel dizzy or sick.
• Stop at least an hour before bed. Teenagers usually need eight to ten hours of sleep, adults seven to nine.
• If your hands, wrists, neck or eyes hurt, stop, and see a GP if it keeps happening.

11Spending and paid random items

• Agree a monthly amount before playing, never during a session.
• Work out what a game’s coins, gems or credits cost in pounds before spending them.
• Avoid paid random items: not knowing what you will get is exactly what makes them hard to stop buying.
• UK industry principles say under-18s should not be able to buy paid random items without a parent or carer knowing; platform spending limits are how that works at home.
• Keep purchase approval switched on and remove saved cards from children’s accounts.

12Daily rewards, events and streaks

Login rewards, streaks, season passes, weekend events and limited-time offers are designed to bring you back on the game’s timetable, not yours. Turn off game notifications, let a streak go without guilt and come back when you actually want to play.

13Who can talk to you online

• Set text and voice chat to friends only, or off, in each game and on the platform.
• Never share passwords, your address, school, phone number or photos.
• Be careful with anyone who wants to move to another app, asks for pictures or asks you to keep a secret.
• If an adult’s contact with a child feels wrong, report it to CEOP. Internet Matters has step-by-step setup guides for consoles and apps.

14If something goes wrong online

• Stop playing and step away from the screen.
• Screenshot messages before they can be deleted.
• Block and report the account in the game or on the platform.
• If an account was taken over, use the official recovery page and change any password you used elsewhere.
• Tell someone you trust. Nobody is in trouble for reporting something that felt wrong.

15Hard rounds and frustration

Some games in our set are deliberately difficult, and online matches can be won or lost in seconds. After three failed attempts in a row frustration builds quickly and play gets worse, not better. Use the assist options without guilt, rest at the save point and come back another day; the attempt that finally works is rarely the one made at midnight.

16Age labels

Games sold in the UK carry PEGI age labels: 3, 7, 12, 16 and 18, with notices for in-game purchases and (includes random items). PEGI 12, 16 and 18 are legally enforced for games sold in UK shops, overseen by the Games Rating Authority. The PEGI label guide explains every symbol. Virtual reality headsets also carry their maker’s own minimum age. A label rates the game, not the other players in it.

17Accessibility is not cheating

Subtitles, colour-blind modes, reduced motion, timing calibration, assist modes and skip options are all part of playing comfortably. Using them is never cheating, and they often make the difference between a good evening and a frustrating one.

18When gaming becomes a problem

The World Health Organization describes “gaming disorder” when gaming takes priority over other interests and daily life despite the harm it causes, usually for a year or more. Signs to watch for:

• regularly playing far longer than planned;
• losing sleep, or missing meals, school, work or friends;
• irritability, low mood or anxiety when not playing;
• spending more than intended, or hiding it;
• dropping other hobbies and people.

The NHS National Centre for Gaming Disorders treats people aged 13 and over in England and Wales, and a GP can point you to support anywhere in the UK.

19Helping someone else

Start by asking what they enjoy about the game and who they play with. Agree small steps together, such as a set session length or friends-only chat, rather than a sudden ban, and plan things to do away from screens that are genuinely fun.

20For parents and carers

Play alongside your children now and then, and ask them to show you their favourite game and who they play with. Keep consoles and headsets in shared rooms where you can, agree screen-free times and go through the family controls on our home page together.

21How this site is built

Saberwyn has no accounts, notifications, streaks, countdown offers or rewards for coming back. Questions about this page are welcome through hello@saberwyn.co.uk.