Gambling should be an enjoyable form of entertainment — nothing more. q98com's responsible gambling programme gives you the tools, information and support to stay in control of your play at all times. This page explains every protection measure available to you and how to use it.
At q98com, responsible gambling is not a regulatory checkbox — it is a foundational part of how the platform is designed. Whether you're following a PSL match from Lahore, catching live cricket updates from Karachi or simply enjoying a few rounds of live roulette from Islamabad, the same principle applies: you set the limits, and the platform enforces them.
Gambling problems do not discriminate by city, income level or how experienced a player is. They can develop gradually, often without a person realising the shift has happened. That is why q98com's responsible gambling tools are available from day one of your account — not hidden in a sub-menu you would only find in a crisis.
All limit-setting and exclusion tools on q98com are accessible directly from your account dashboard. Setting a limit is free, instant and does not require a support request. Removing or increasing a limit, by contrast, involves a mandatory reflection period — a deliberate design choice to protect users from impulsive decisions made during a losing run.
It is also worth being direct about one important point: q98com does not claim that gambling is legal in Pakistan. Pakistan's Prevention of Gambling Act, 1977 is relevant legislation that you should understand before using any online gambling platform. This page provides player protection tools — not legal advice. If you have concerns about the legality of your use of this Platform, please consult appropriate legal counsel.
Only ever gamble with money you can genuinely afford to lose. Never use funds set aside for rent, groceries, school fees or any essential expense.
Set a budget before you start each session. Stop when that budget is spent — regardless of whether you are winning or losing.
Do not chase losses. Trying to recover losses with larger bets is one of the clearest signs that gambling has moved beyond entertainment.
Take regular breaks. Time limits and session reminders exist to help — use them. Fatigue and frustration lead to poor decisions.
Never gamble when you are upset, stressed, under the influence of alcohol, or in a mental state that impairs your judgment.
Balance gambling with other leisure activities. If it starts to feel like the only activity you look forward to, that is a warning sign worth taking seriously.
Every tool listed below is available from within your q98com account settings. Setting a restriction is immediate. Increasing or removing a restriction requires a mandatory waiting period to prevent impulsive decisions.
Set daily, weekly or monthly caps on the total amount you can deposit. Once the limit is reached, no further deposits are accepted until the period resets. Lowering a limit takes effect immediately. Increasing a limit requires a seven-day cooling-off period.
Cap the maximum amount you are willing to lose over a daily, weekly or monthly period. When your net loss reaches the set threshold, wagering is automatically suspended for the remainder of the period. This tool is particularly effective for managing downswing sessions.
Set a maximum duration for each gambling session. When the timer expires, you are logged out automatically. You can also choose to receive a mid-session reminder so you stay aware of how long you have been playing before a hard cutoff is reached.
Activate periodic on-screen notifications that display your session duration and net result. Reality checks interrupt the flow of play intentionally — prompting you to pause, review and decide whether to continue. Available at intervals from every 15 minutes up to every 2 hours.
Take a structured break without permanently closing your account. Cooling-off periods are available for 24 hours, 7 days, 30 days or 90 days. During a cooling-off period, your account is suspended — no deposits, wagers or bonuses. You must contact support to deactivate it before expiry.
A formal exclusion from the Platform for a set minimum period or indefinitely. Self-exclusion is immediate and cannot be reversed before the stated minimum term expires. During the exclusion period, q98com will not accept bets or deposits from the excluded account under any circumstances.
Limits on q98com are designed with a deliberate asymmetry: restrictions take effect immediately, while relaxations of existing limits require a mandatory delay. This is intentional. When a player is on a losing streak or caught up in the excitement of a PSL Super Over, the worst moment to increase a spending limit is precisely the moment they most want to.
All limit settings are accessible from the Responsible Gambling section of your account. No support request is needed to activate or lower a limit. Requests to increase or remove a limit will be subject to a reflection period before taking effect.
Takes effect instantly. No waiting period. If you decide you want to be more conservative with your budget, you can reduce any limit at any time and it applies from that moment forward.
Example: Reduce weekly deposit limit from PKR 10,000 to PKR 5,000 — effective immediately.Subject to a mandatory seven-day cooling-off period. The increase does not take effect until the full reflection period has passed, giving you time to reconsider the decision away from the pressure of an active session.
Example: Request to raise monthly deposit limit on a Monday — takes effect the following Monday at the earliest.Also subject to the seven-day reflection period. You can request removal at any time, but the limit remains fully active until the waiting period expires. Requests can be withdrawn during the reflection period with no penalty.
Example: Request to remove daily loss limit — remains active for 7 days; you can cancel the removal request during that window.Once self-exclusion is activated, it cannot be reversed before the minimum exclusion period has elapsed. After the minimum period, a reactivation request still requires a further reflection period before access is restored.
Example: 30-day self-exclusion activated — account access locked for the full 30 days with no override available.Gambling becomes a problem when it starts to negatively affect your finances, relationships, work or mental wellbeing. The following signs — whether experienced yourself or observed in someone close to you — are worth taking seriously. Recognising a problem early makes it significantly easier to address.
Spending more money or more time gambling than you originally intended, and finding it difficult to stop at your planned limit.
Chasing losses — placing increasingly large or frequent bets in an attempt to recover money you have already lost.
Borrowing money, selling possessions or dipping into savings to fund gambling activity.
Hiding your gambling activity from family or friends, or lying about how much time or money you spend on gambling.
Feeling restless, irritable or anxious when you try to cut down on gambling or when you are unable to access a gambling platform.
Neglecting work, study, family responsibilities or social relationships because of time spent gambling or thinking about gambling.
Gambling to escape from problems, stress, boredom or low mood — using it as a coping mechanism rather than a form of entertainment.
Continued gambling despite significant negative consequences — financial loss, relationship strain, or negative impact on your mental health.
If any of these signs are familiar, please use the self-assessment quiz below, activate one of the account protection tools above, or contact our Responsible Gambling team. You can also consider a cooling-off period or self-exclusion from your account settings at any time.
The following questions are adapted from widely used responsible gambling screening frameworks. Read each question honestly and reflect on your answers. This is not a formal diagnostic tool — it is a private self-check to help you recognise patterns in your own gambling behaviour. No responses are submitted or recorded.
Have you ever needed to gamble with increasing amounts of money to get the same feeling of excitement?
Have you ever tried to cut back on gambling but found yourself unable to follow through?
Have you gambled to escape from personal problems, anxiety, depression or a difficult period in your life?
After losing money, have you returned the next day — or within the same session — to try to win it back?
Have you lied to anyone close to you about the extent of your gambling or the amount of money involved?
Has gambling caused you to miss work or studies, or led to arguments or distance in your personal relationships?
Have you ever gambled with money you needed for essential expenses — such as rent, household bills, transport or food?
Do you find yourself thinking about gambling frequently — planning your next session, replaying past bets, or calculating how much you need to win back?
📋 This self-check is informational only. If you answered "yes" to two or more questions, it may be worth speaking to a support service or activating account protection tools. If you answered "yes" to four or more, please consider contacting a professional support resource or requesting self-exclusion.
Self-exclusion is the strongest protection tool available on q98com. It is a voluntary, binding commitment to stop gambling on the Platform for a defined period. Once activated, it cannot be reversed until the minimum exclusion term has passed — and even then, reactivation requires a further deliberate waiting period.
Self-exclusion can be requested at any time — including immediately — through your account settings or by emailing our Responsible Gambling team. The exclusion takes effect as soon as it is confirmed, and any pending withdrawals of legitimate real-money balances will be processed normally.
Self-exclusion on q98com is a formal, binding restriction. When you activate it, access to your account is suspended for the full duration of the chosen period. No bets can be placed, no deposits made and no bonuses claimed during the exclusion.
Available exclusion periods:
What happens during exclusion: Your account is suspended. You will not receive promotional emails or bonus offers. Any marketing preferences are automatically set to off and cannot be reactivated until the exclusion has fully expired.
After the minimum period: Reactivation is not automatic. You must submit a reactivation request, after which a further seven-day reflection period applies before your account is restored. This gives you one final opportunity to change your mind.
Indefinite exclusion: There is no automatic expiry. A minimum of one year must pass before a reactivation request can even be submitted, and the full seven-day reflection period still applies.
To activate self-exclusion: Account Settings → Responsible Gambling → Self-Exclusion, or email [email protected] (plain text — no mailto link)
If you feel that gambling is causing harm — to yourself or someone close to you — please reach out to professional support. The resources below are provided as general information only. q98com is not affiliated with any of the organisations mentioned and does not endorse specific services. These are presented as general categories of help that may be available.
Professional counselling for gambling-related distress is available through mental health providers in Pakistan's major cities including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad. Your doctor or a trusted medical professional can provide a referral.
Peer-support groups modelled on established 12-step frameworks operate in several Pakistani cities and are available online. Sharing experiences with others who understand gambling addiction can be a powerful complement to formal therapy.
Pakistan has established mental health helplines operated by government and non-government bodies. A trusted starting point is the Umang helpline (0317-4288665) for mental health support — though availability and scope may change over time. Always verify current details.
Problem gambling affects not just the gambler but their entire family. Support resources specifically for partners, parents and siblings of problem gamblers include family counselling services, which many mental health clinics in Pakistan provide.
Evidence-based self-help programmes for gambling disorder are available online and can be accessed privately. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) workbooks and guided self-exclusion programmes are among the most widely recommended approaches.
Our Responsible Gambling team can help you activate any protection tool, process a self-exclusion request or simply talk through your concerns without judgment. Contact: [email protected] (plain text only — no clickable link). We aim to respond within 24 hours.
⚠️ Resource information is provided for general guidance only. q98com does not guarantee the accuracy, availability or suitability of any third-party service. Helpline numbers and support organisations may change — always verify current contact details independently. Contact details listed here are not clickable links.
q98com is strictly an adults-only platform. Registration is prohibited for anyone under 18 years of age — or the higher minimum age required by the operator's licensing jurisdiction or local law. Age verification is conducted as part of the KYC process, and accounts found to be operated by minors are closed immediately.
If you are a parent or guardian concerned about a young person's access to gambling content, there are several practical steps you can take to help protect them online.
Responsible gambling tools are built into your account from the moment you register. Visit your account settings now to set a deposit limit, activate a session timer or review your options — or browse our FAQ for answers to common responsible gambling questions.
Adults 18+ only · Local laws may restrict gambling · If gambling is causing harm, please seek help · q98com.cam