Responsible gaming

The desk's view

Hotels are our subject, and steering readers to a casino is no part of the job. Each resort on the list earns the trip on its rooms and surroundings alone. For readers who will play regardless, a few routines help keep things small.

Habits to bring along

• Each country picks its own minimum age for casinos, so look it up before travelling and carry identification.
• Fix a loss ceiling before entering, and leave cards plus surplus cash in the room safe.
• Agree a finishing time with yourself before you start, and step outside every so often.
• Money lost is money spent: chasing it, or borrowing to keep going, just digs deeper.
• Go easy on drinks while playing, because alcohol blurs judgement about money.

When it stops being fun

If budgets keep getting broken, if sessions are kept quiet from a partner, or if a day off feels unbearable, the pastime may be turning into a problem. Plenty of resorts offer voluntary self-exclusion from the casino, and reception can arrange it.

Free help that stays confidential

• Your local helpline: nearly every country has one that is free and private; a family doctor or health centre will have the number.
• Gambling Therapy: worldwide online help and live chat in a number of languages, at gamblingtherapy.org
• Gamblers Anonymous (gamblersanonymous.org): recovery groups run by members themselves, meeting in many countries
• Gam-Anon: a fellowship where spouses, parents and friends of a gambler support each other; find it at gam-anon.org