Chance Vegas and Player Protection: Tools, Rules and Contacts

The rules of responsible gambling are more than a recommendation. Zákon č. 186/2016 Sb. requires gambling operators, including CHANCE a.s., to give players tools and information that make safe play possible.

In practice this involves three things. Players can set themselves financial and time limits, they receive information about the risks and the options for self-exclusion, and minors are shielded from gambling.

The purpose of the whole framework is summed up by the term responsible gambling: a conscious approach to play that lowers the risks of excessive gambling and stops addiction from forming. The operator's tools only work, however, when players take part too, watch their behaviour and pay attention to warning signs early.

Problem gambling has fairly clear symptoms, but they are easy to overlook. Here they are, from financial ones to those affecting health:

1. borrowing money to gamble or repeatedly breaching your own spending limits,
2. attempts to recover lost money by gambling further,
3. gambling more frequently or for bigger stakes,
4. neglected obligations at work, at school or in the family,
5. gambling in spite of debt or quarrels,
6. keeping gambling quiet from those closest to you,
7. restlessness, irritation or anxiety when play is not possible,
8. worsening mental or physical health connected with gambling.

Anyone who notices one of these symptoms in themselves or a loved one should consider the preventive tools or contact professional support.

Chance Vegas puts gambling control tools into the account of every registered player, as zákon č. 186/2016 Sb. require. Here is an overview by what you want to keep track of:

I want to control how much I deposit

Use the deposit limit. You set it for a day, a week or a month, and once the amount is reached you cannot deposit anything more until the period ends.

I want to control how much I stake and lose

The bet and loss limit restricts the total value of your bets or your net loss over a period you choose. Once the cap is reached, the system does not allow further bets or play.

I want to control my time

A time limit decides how long you may play each day or week. The reality check feature shows you at regular intervals how much time you have already spent playing.

I need a break from gambling

A time-out takes you out of play for 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days. Until it ends you cannot log in or gamble; after that the account is active once more.

All limits can be set, lowered or removed in your account. Raising a limit is subject to a protection period of at least 24 hours.

The panic button lets you exclude yourself from all gambling immediately and temporarily, for 48 hours. Gambling operators have had to offer it since 1 July 2024, when the obligation under § 16bb of zákon č. 186/2016 Sb. took effect.

How it works:

• you will find the button directly in the user interface, and any registered player can use it,
• once you press it, the system automatically excludes you from all of the operator's online platforms,
• for 48 hours you cannot take part in gambling,
• at the same time you are offered the option to apply for entry into the Register of Excluded Persons (RVO).

What you are entitled to

Under § 16 and § 16b of zákon č. 186/2016 Sb., every player may ask the operator to exclude them from gambling for a set period or permanently.

Where to apply

In the user account, or through the gambling operator.

What the entry means

Entry into the Register of Excluded Persons (RVO) applies across the board to all operators in the Czech Republic. Removal is possible one year after the entry at the earliest.

The Ministry of Finance (Ministerstvo financí ČR) keeps the Register of Excluded Persons (RVO) under zákon č. 186/2016 Sb. It enters two kinds of people: those who have asked for exclusion, and those excluded directly by law. The latter include, for example, people facing enforcement or insolvency proceedings and recipients of certain benefits.

An application for entry can be filed directly in the user account with the gambling operator, by confirming the request after activating the panic button, via the ministry's data box, or in person at a Czech POINT branch. Once entered, a player cannot take part in gambling with any licensed operator in the Czech Republic.

Gambling in the Czech Republic is reserved for adults: under zákon č. 186/2016 Sb., only people who have turned 18 may take part. Verifying a player's age and identity is the operator's duty, and BankID or other methods serve this purpose. Compliance with the ban on minors is monitored at registration and when winnings are withdrawn.

This short test is built on the PGSI questionnaire (Problem Gambling Severity Index). Answer yes or no to each question.

1. Does more money go on gambling than you planned?
2. Does gambling leave you feeling guilty?
3. Has someone close to you said that your gambling is a problem?
4. Do you try to recover lost money through more play?
5. Have you ever borrowed to fund your gambling?
6. Have you thought about whether you should limit your gambling?
7. Do your work, studies or relationships suffer because of play?

If you answered yes more than once, it makes sense to consider preventive tools or help from a professional. The outcome is indicative only and is no substitute for a professional diagnosis.

Where to find discreet professional help with gambling addiction:

• by phone: National Helpline for Addiction, 800 350 000, free and anonymous,
• at a non-governmental organisation: Společnost Podané ruce, podaneruce.cz,
• at a specialist clinic: Clinic of Addictology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, adiktologie.cz.

Do not hesitate to contact professionals as soon as you feel that gambling is no longer fun.

Spotted something unclear on this page, or looking for additional details? You can write to the editors at [email protected].

18+ Gambling is intended only for people over 18.

Warning from the Czech Ministry of Finance (Ministerstvo financí ČR): taking part in gambling can lead to addiction.