Betting should be fun. Here's how to keep it that way.
Most people who bet on Rabona enjoy it, win some, lose some, and walk away. For a small percentage, it stops being entertainment. This page is for anyone who wants to set sensible limits before that happens, or who already knows things have slipped and is looking for a way back.
The tools inside your Rabona account
Set these on day one, before you fund the account. It takes 2 minutes and you'll never have to think about it again.
Deposit limits
Cap your daily, weekly or monthly deposits. Lowering the cap is instant. Raising it takes 7 days - that's the whole point.
Session limits
Set how long you stay logged in. Rabona warns you 5 minutes before kicking you out, so you can finish what you're watching.
Time-out
Lock yourself out for 24 hours, a week, a month, or 90 days. Once you set it, you can't undo it until the timer runs out. That's the point.
Self-exclusion
The nuclear option. 6 months up to permanent. Rabona keeps your data only to make sure you can't open a new account during the exclusion.
Your activity report
Settings → History. See your real deposits, withdrawals and total stakes over any period. Sometimes the number alone is enough to make you stop.
Switch off promos
If bonus emails and push notifications keep pulling you back in, kill them all in marketing settings. Out of sight, out of mind.
Nine honest questions
Read these slowly. If you say "yes" to three or more, it's time to lower your limits and think about outside support. There's no shame in this - it's the same checklist mental health professionals use.
Ask yourself
- Have you bet more money than you could afford to lose in the last month?
- Do you need to bet larger stakes to feel the same excitement?
- Have you returned to bet again on another day to recover losses ("chasing")?
- Have you borrowed money or sold anything to fund betting?
- Have you felt guilty, anxious or depressed about your betting?
- Has betting caused arguments at home or affected work or studies?
- Have you hidden your account activity from people close to you?
- Have you tried to cut down or stop and found you could not?
- Do you bet when bored, lonely, stressed or after drinking?
Five things that genuinely help
The buttons in your account settings are great, but they only work if your habits back them up. These five make the difference.
- Set the budget before opening the appDecide the exact amount you can lose before you log in. Once that amount is gone, the session ends - no exceptions, no "one last bet".
- Use a separate payment method for bettingPre-load a single e-wallet or prepaid card with your monthly budget. When it is empty, your card cannot reach the cashier.
- Avoid betting under emotional stressTired, drunk, angry or grieving people make bets they would never place sober and rested. Pause for 24 hours before deciding.
- Never chase lossesDoubling the stake to recover a lost bet is the single fastest path to harm. Walk away from a losing session and come back another day with a fresh budget.
- Talk to someone you trustHiding losses makes them grow. Telling a partner, friend or family member breaks the secrecy that keeps the problem alive.
Where to get real help
If gambling's become a problem for you or someone you love, these places are free, confidential, and they don't share anything with Rabona or any other operator. Most have 24/7 chat and Arabic-language support.
| Organisation | Website | What they offer |
|---|---|---|
| GamCare | gamcare.org.uk | 24/7 helpline, live chat, free counselling, self-help workbooks. English with translation support. |
| Gambling Therapy | gamblingtherapy.org | Free global support in Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Hindi, Bengali, Urdu and more. Online groups and one-to-one chat. |
| BeGambleAware | begambleaware.org | Symptom checker, treatment directory, advice for friends and family. |
| Gamblers Anonymous | gamblersanonymous.org | Peer support meetings worldwide, including online sessions in multiple languages. |
| GamAnon | gam-anon.org | Support specifically for partners, parents and friends of people with a gambling problem. |
Block yourself out at the device level
If self-discipline isn't enough right now, let software do the work. These tools block thousands of gambling sites and apps on your phone and laptop for as long as you set, and you can't easily turn them off again. That's the whole point.
Gamban
Cross-device blocker for iOS, Android, Windows and macOS. Blocks tens of thousands of gambling sites and apps.
BetBlocker
Free open-source blocker with self-exclusion periods from one day up to five years. No personal data required.
Built-in screen time
Use iOS Screen Time or Android Digital Wellbeing to restrict betting apps under a password held by someone else.
Bank-level blocks
Many banks (Monzo, Revolut, Starling, HSBC and others) include a one-tap gambling transaction block in the app.
Myths vs reality
Myth: "I'm due a win after a losing streak."
Reality: Each bet is independent. Past results do not change future probability - this is the gambler's fallacy.
Myth: "Betting is a way to make extra income."
Reality: Sportsbooks build a margin (the "overround") into every market. Over time, that margin transfers money from bettors to the operator. Treat betting as paid entertainment, not as a side job.
Myth: "If I bet small enough, I cannot get into trouble."
Reality: Frequency causes harm as much as stake size. Hundreds of 1 USD live bets a day can damage finances and sleep just as severely as one large bet a week.
Myth: "I can stop whenever I want."
Reality: If stopping has been difficult more than once, the brain has already adapted. That is the moment to use self-exclusion or a blocker - not after the next loss.
Help for friends and family
If someone you love is showing signs of problem gambling, you do not have to handle it alone. Three steps that consistently help:
- Protect shared finances first. Move savings and joint funds to an account they cannot access. Do not lend money or pay off gambling debts - this usually extends the problem.
- Talk without judgement. Address the behaviour, not the person. Avoid ultimatums in the heat of an argument; agreements made calmly stick longer.
- Get support for yourself. GamAnon and Gambling Therapy run dedicated groups for affected families. You are likely to need help too.
Protection of minors
Rabona access is restricted to users aged 18 or older. Anyone underage who creates an account will have it closed and any winnings voided. Keep login details private, log out fully on shared devices, use device-level restrictions and never allow minors to use an adult account.
If you need help right now
Open the chat on gamblingtherapy.org or call the GamCare helpline at 0808 8020 133 (UK, free, 24/7 with language support). For an immediate block, install Gamban or BetBlocker before your next deposit attempt.