ResponsibleGameplay

Responsible gameplay: the key to a sustainable industry

Encouraging responsible gameplay is fundamental to our values. It’s integral to our mission to bring joy to life through the power of play, and key to ensuring we can continue to grow, attract and retain great talent, while promoting a sustainable games industry that’s welcome in the community.

 

What is safer gameplay? 

There are a wide variety of reasons why people enjoy playing video games, including to have fun, pass the time, and encourage relaxation. Regardless of your reason for playing, we want to ensure we’re providing you with an experience which is as safe as possible. That includes a place to play responsibly, set limits or take a break. Playing video games can be a fun part of a balanced life, but we recognize that there can be too much of a good thing. While we offer social casino-style games, these games are not gambling, and do not offer the opportunity to win real money or prizes. Practice or success at social casino-style games does not imply future success at gambling. You must be 18 or older to access and play our social casino-style games.

 

When might gameplay be a problem? 

If you, a friend or a family member has concerns about your relationship with video games, please take a moment to ask yourself the below questions. While this list of questions is not meant to be comprehensive, or serve as a medical or psychological diagnostic test, answering yes to one or more of the following questions may help you identify the need to set limits, take a break from video games, and/or seek help from a trusted professional:

• Is your gameplay interfering with your work?
• Is your gameplay negatively impacting your home life?
• Have you lost interest in hobbies and activities you previously enjoyed, preferring to play video games instead?
• Do you find it difficult to limit the amount of time you spend playing video games?
• Have you ever felt sad or remorseful after playing a video game?
• Does playing video games decrease your ambition or efficiency?
• Do you ever spend more money on video games than you can afford?
• Do you lie about or hide how much time or money you spend playing video games?
• Do your real life problems and challenges create an urge to play video games?
• Have you ever considered harming yourself as a result of your gameplay?

Steps you can take if you need a break 

It’s important to keep your health and happiness in mind. If you have concerns about the amount of time spent on our games, mobile apps or internet sites, we encourage you to contact our Customer Support team for Product Madness.

Monitoring the amount of time you spend playing video games is a good first step to better understanding how gameplay may be affecting your life and wellbeing. Many mobile devices come with built-in functionality to track the time you spend interacting with that device. For example:

• For instructions on tracking the time you spend on your Apple device, please see this link: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208982
• For instructions on tracking the time you spend on your Android device, please see this link: https://support.google.com/android/answer/9346420?hl=en

If your device isn’t listed above, please contact our Customer Support team for Product Madness for further assistance.

Steps you can take to limit the money you spend 

Disabling or Restricting In-App Purchases

Product Madness social casino-style games are free to play and in-app purchases are available. Although purchasing is always an option, it is possible to disable, limit, or restrict in-app purchases via your mobile device settings.

• For instructions on preventing in-app purchases on your Apple device, please see this link: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204396
• For instructions on requiring a password or authentication before an in-app purchase is made on your Android device please see this link: https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/1626831?hl=en
• For instructions on turning off in-app purchases on your Amazon device, please see this link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GM5UP39EFNETVXSE
• For instructions on blocking an app or game on Facebook, please see this link: https://www.facebook.com/help/1727608884153160
• For instructions on removing an app or game on Facebook, please see this link: https://www.facebook.com/help/942196655898243/?helpref=hc_fnav
• For instructions on setting a wallet PIN on your Windows phone, please see this link: https://www.windowscentral.com/how-to-set-wallet-pin-purchases-windows-phone-store

What to do if you need help? 

SELF-EXCLUSION

Regardless of your reason, you can contact our Customer Service team at any time to request that your account be banned. You may be struggling to exercise control over your gameplay, or your gameplay may be having a negative effect on your life, or you simply no longer wish to have a Product Madness account. Our friendly Customer Service team will promptly action your request, no questions asked.

Once implemented, access to your game account will be blocked.

To disable your account please reach out to our Customer Support team for Product Madness.

THIRD-PARTY BLOCKING SOFTWARE

Third-party blocking software allows you to block access to certain apps, websites or other internet services and/or to set access permissions. Some blocking software is free, while other blocking software includes a charge. If you search online, you will find there are a number of options to choose from. For smartphones and tablets, you can also search on the Apple App store or Google Play to find available products. Please note that we are not able to recommend or endorse the use of a particular third-party block software.

HELP FOR GAMING DISORDERS

Want to talk to someone about your gameplay or need some help? Here’s some suggested resources. Or contact your local health care provider.

• Smart Social Gamers, an online resource that provides guidance, tips and expert advice for everyone to have a positive social games experience: http://smartsocialgamers.org/
• CheckPoint, a charity that provides mental health information and resources for gamers around the globe: https://checkpointorg.com/about-page/
• National Institute of Mental Health, for help in locating mental health professions in the United States: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help/index.shtml#part_150430
• healthdirect, for help in locating mental health professionals in Australia: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/australian-health-services

IMPORTANT: 

If you, a friend or a loved one are having thoughts of self-harm, please seek IMMEDIATE professional help.  A list of suicide prevention centers around the world can be found here:  https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/

 

Disabling game notifications 

You may also want to remove game notifications that appear on your smartphone or tablet.

Please see the information in the links below for your device or platform:

• For instructions on turning off game notifications on your Apple device, please see this link: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201925
• For instructions on turning off game notifications on your Android device, please see this link: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/3220216?hl=en
• For instructions on turning off notifications for Facebook apps or games, please see this link: https://www.facebook.com/help/476337625740088?sr=2&query=game%20notification&sid=2EatnwYez7VOdzl01