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Bramblefair GamesHelp centrePlay well

Play well

A private self-check, session and sleep habits, chat safety, what to do if something goes wrong online, spending, PEGI labels and free UK help.

Why does a games site have this page?

Online games bring other people, shops and long evenings into the room. That is a big part of their appeal, and it is also why we think a site that recommends them should be honest about the downsides and how to manage them.

Where can I get free, confidential help?

Paid random items such as loot boxes, card packs and spin-to-win rewards share features with gambling: you pay before you know what you will get, which makes it easy to keep going. If the time or money that goes into games feels out of control, for you or someone you care about, these organisations help for free and in confidence:

  • GamCare

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

    Visit GamCare

  • BeGambleAware

    A UK charity with confidential advice, a quick self-assessment and a directory of free treatment and support near you.

    Visit BeGambleAware

  • Gambling Therapy

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

    Visit Gambling Therapy

Blocking and treatment services

When online play or spending turns into gambling, or you fear it is heading that way, these UK services can block access, provide treatment and support families:

  • GAMSTOP

    A free UK self-exclusion scheme. If online games have led you to gambling sites, it blocks every UK-licensed gambling website and app for six months, one year or five years.

    Visit GAMSTOP

  • Gordon Moody

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

    Visit Gordon Moody

  • NHS gambling support

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

    Visit NHS gambling support

Urgent help and help for young people

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

  • Childline

    Free and confidential for anyone under 19: call 0800 1111 or chat to a counsellor online.

    Visit Childline

  • Samaritans

    Someone to talk to at any hour, about anything: call 116 123 free.

    Visit Samaritans

  • YoungMinds

    Mental health help for young people, and a helpline for worried parents and carers.

    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.

Quick self-check

Over the last few months, which of these are true for you?

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

How do I keep sessions under control?

  • Count in matches or rounds rather than hours, and decide the number before the first one. The match counter on our home page helps.
  • Use the play-time limits built into your console, PC or phone.
  • Leave at the end of a match, never in the middle of one, so nobody is let down.
  • Keep some evenings completely offline.

What about breaks and sleep?

  • Every twenty minutes, look at something about six metres away for twenty seconds.
  • Every hour, get up for five to ten minutes, stretch and drink some water.
  • Log off at least an hour before bed. Teenagers usually need eight to ten hours of sleep and adults seven to nine.
  • If your hands, neck or eyes hurt, or you feel dizzy or sick, stop and talk to a GP if it keeps happening.

Who can talk to me in a game?

  • Set text and voice chat to friends only, or off, in the game and on the platform.
  • Never share passwords, your address, school, phone number or photos.
  • Be wary of anyone who wants to move the conversation 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 setup guides for every console and app.

Something went wrong online. What now?

  • Stop playing and step away from the screen.
  • Take screenshots of messages before anything is deleted.
  • Block and report the account inside the game or on the platform.
  • If your account was taken, use the official recovery page and change passwords on other sites that used the same one.
  • Tell someone you trust. Nobody is in trouble for reporting something that felt wrong.

How do I keep spending in check?

  • Agree a monthly amount before playing, never during a match.
  • Work out what premium currency costs in pounds before you spend it.
  • 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 on and remove saved cards from children’s accounts.

Streaks, events and season passes

Daily rewards, login streaks and limited-time events are designed to bring you back on the game’s schedule. Turn off game notifications, let a streak go without guilt and come back when you want to.

Ranked matches and tempers

Take a break after two losses in a row, mute anyone who spoils the game, and remember that a rank is a measure of a few matches, not of you. If anger follows you out of the game, that is the moment to stop for the night.

Age labels

Games sold in the UK carry PEGI age labels: 3, 7, 12, 16 and 18, with extra 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. A label rates the game, not the other players in it.

Comfort and accessibility

Read each game’s photosensitivity warning: a small number of people can have seizures triggered by flashing lights or patterns, sometimes for the first time. Subtitles, colour-blind modes, reduced motion and aim or difficulty assists are all part of playing properly.

When is gaming 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 skipping meals, school, work or friends;
  • irritability, low mood or anxiety when not playing;
  • spending more than intended, or hiding it;
  • giving up 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.

Helping someone else

Ask what they enjoy about the game and who they play with before suggesting changes. Agree small steps together, such as a match limit or friends-only chat, rather than a sudden ban, and plan things to do offline that are genuinely fun.

For parents and carers

Play with your children sometimes and ask them to show you their favourite game and who they play with. Keep consoles in shared spaces where you can, agree screen-free times and fill in the house rules card together.

How is this site built?

Bramblefair Games has no accounts, notifications, streaks, countdown offers or rewards for coming back. Questions about this guide are welcome through our contact page.