Compliance

Markers of harm: signs that gambling is getting out of control

A marker of harm (harm indicator) is a behavioural sign that gambling is starting to harm the player: deposits and losses grow out of line with their profile, the player chases losses, plays at night, reverses withdrawals. Every triggered marker leads to action: contact, limits, removal from promotions.

Yevhen SychovOctober 2026

Which markers to track

  • Money: deposits and losses grow faster than usual, many failed deposit attempts, one new card or payment method after another, reversed withdrawals to keep playing.
  • Behaviour: chasing losses, that is, a new deposit straight after a loss and rising stakes; playing at night; sessions keep getting longer, and the player closes the reality check without reading it.
  • Contacts with support: emotional messages, requests to refund losses or for a bonus to win them back, frequent requests to raise a limit.

How it works

The system flags markers automatically and compares the player with their own usual pattern of play. Any triggered marker switches off promotions straight away, and several markers together mean contact the same day. Thresholds are fixed in the operator's policy, and the requirements for them depend on the licence.

Signal = several markers against the player's usual patternFor example, a player usually deposits €100 a week. In the last week they deposited €900, reversed a withdrawal twice and played past 2:00 three nights in a row. Three markers: promotions are switched off, and a staff member contacts the player today.

What to do after a signal

  • Remove from promotions: no bonuses and no marketing messages, with the exclusion checked automatically before every send.
  • Get in touch: a trained staff member asks whether everything is all right and reminds the player of the responsible gambling tools. This is service and protection, not a sales pitch.
  • Offer restrictions: a deposit limit, a time-out or self-exclusion. If the signals persist, carry out an affordability check and restrict play.
  • Record it: what was seen, what was done, what the player said and when the next check is due.

A marker is not a diagnosis: the staff member does not decide whether the player has a gambling addiction, but offers tools and reduces the risk.

Common mistakes

  • Comparing with the player base average. For a high roller, €1,000 a day can be normal, while an ordinary player's rise from €20 to €300 gets lost in the average. Markers are measured against the player's own pattern.
  • Special rules for VIPs. A valuable player showing markers gets a bonus so that they do not leave. A risk signal closes promotions for everyone, and a VIP manager does not talk the player into playing on.
  • Contact with no record. The conversation took place, but the player's file is empty. To the regulator, that means there was no response, and the next staff member starts from scratch.
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