Staying in Control When You Play with Vegastars
Vegastars is for adults only, and you must be of legal age to play with us. Pokies and live tables are a paid night in, not a way to earn money, and every session should end with you still comfortable about what you spent.
We want to help you keep it that way, with habits that work before you start, the signs that play is drifting, the tools in your account and the free, independent support open to anyone in New Zealand.
Fixing Your Budget and Your Time First
Decide two things before you open a game: how much money you are prepared to lose and how long you will play. Pick the amount from what is left after rent, bills and food, never from savings or borrowed money. Treat it as spent the moment you deposit, so a loss is not a debt to win back.
Time matters as much as money. A clear finish, such as the end of a programme or a set hour, gives you a natural stop. When either limit is reached, close the session, even mid-bonus or straight after a win.
Signs Worth Taking Seriously
Some changes are easy to explain away. Chasing losses with a bigger deposit, playing for longer than you meant to, or hiding how much you spend from people close to you are all signals to stop and look again. So is feeling restless or irritable when you are not playing, or using gambling to escape stress, loneliness or a bad day.
Money signs count too: dipping into bill money, borrowing to play, or waiting for a withdrawal so you can deposit it straight back. If any of this sounds familiar, take a break now rather than after one more session.
Tools in Your Vegastars Account
These are the controls we offer to keep play within the plan you made:
Deposit limits cap how much money goes in and are typically available in your account.
Loss and wager limits usually sit alongside them for a tighter grip on spending.
Cool-off is, as a rule, offered when you want a pause without closing the account.
Self-exclusion can typically be requested when a short break is not enough.
Lowering a limit usually applies quickly.
Raising a limit takes effect only after a cooling-off period as a rule.
Which Tool Suits Which Situation
| Tool | What it changes | A good fit when |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit limit | Caps the money you can add (typically available) | You enjoy playing but want spending fixed in advance |
| Loss or wager limit | Caps what you can lose or stake (usually offered) | Sessions run deeper than you planned |
| Cool-off | Pauses play for a while (available as a rule) | You need distance after a rough stretch |
| Self-exclusion | Closes access to play (typically on request) | You have tried to cut back and it has not held |
If you are unsure which tool fits, choose the stronger one. Lifting a limit later is a decision you can take on a calmer day.
Free Help in New Zealand
The Gambling Helpline is independent of us and open to anyone:
Free phone: 0800 654 655, day or night.
Free text: 8006.
Always on: a 24-hour free service.
Who runs it: Whakarongorau Aotearoa / New Zealand Telehealth Services.
Protecting the Account Itself
A safer-play limit only works if nobody else can use your account:
Encryption: SSL usually protects data between your browser and our service.
Two-factor authentication: typically available as a second step at login.
Your password: keep it unique and private, and never share your login.
Shared devices: sign out after every session and don't let the browser save your password.
Keeping Minors Away from Gambling
Our games are for adults of legal age only. If children or teenagers live with you or borrow your phone, lock it with a code they don't know and sign out of Vegastars after each session. Don't leave a logged-in browser tab open, and don't save your login on a shared tablet or laptop.
Talk to young people at home about why gambling is an adult activity, and keep your play out of their sight where you can. If you think a minor has used your account, change your password at once and tell our support team by live chat or e-mail.
When You Want to Talk to Someone
Right now
If gambling is worrying you tonight, call the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655. The call is free and the line is open day or night.
If speaking feels too hard
Send a free text to 8006 instead. You can start the conversation in writing and move to a call later if that helps.
The day after
Once you have talked it through, put the result into the tools in your Vegastars account, so the decision you made holds on the next difficult evening.