ResponsibleGameplay

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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 RESPONSIBLE GAMEPLAY? 

Responsible Gameplay is about keeping your playtime enjoyable, healthy, and preventing any gaming-related problems. 

WHAT DOES RESPONSIBLE GAMEPLAY LOOK LIKE?

Ask yourself if these statements are true for you:

  • I think about the amount of money and the amount of time that I am willing to spend in a game.
  • I only spend the amount of money in a game that I can afford.
  • I only spend the amount of time in a game that I can spare.
  • I am honest with family and friends about the amount of time and the amount of money I spend playing.
  • I can walk away from gameplay at any time.
  • I feel in control of my gameplay.

If you’re not sure if your gameplay is staying in control, check out how to be a Positive Player below.

HOW TO BE A POSITIVE PLAYER

Positive players focus on enjoying gameplay for leisure and entertainment. They make sure that gameplay is balanced with other important aspects of their life, like socialising, exercise and other screen-free activities. They prioritise their health and wellbeing above all else.

Here are some tips for being a Positive Player:

Set time limits
Be aware of how much time you spend in gameplay. Establish your own time limits and use timers or alarms to help you stick to them. 

Prioritize responsibilities
Take care of your responsibilities (work, chores) before starting a new gaming session. 

Avoid excessive spending
Check how much money you spend on your games. Make sure it is affordable and that all other financial commitments are taken care of. Set a budget for in-game purchases. Check that you’re not impulse spending or chasing losses.

Determine if you have realistic beliefs
Avoid some of the false beliefs related to social casino games like believing that ‘being close to a win’ suggests that a win is imminent, or believing you are ‘due for a win’. 

Take regular breaks
Take breaks during gaming sessions to stretch, exercise, and rest your eyes. Take time to get outdoors and do some form of physical activity each day. And when you are using any screen, follow the 20-20-20 rule = every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away (6 meters) for at least 20 seconds. 

Recognise signs of addiction
Be aware of symptoms of that may indicate that gameplay is becoming a problem, such as preoccupation with gaming, neglecting responsibilities, experiencing withdrawal symptoms, or having difficulty controlling your gaming time. See the When Might Gameplay Be a Problem? support page for more information.

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?

seek support if needed

If you are concerned about your gameplay, talk to someone about how you’re feeling or reach out to a confidential counselling and support service. And remember, you don’t have to reach ‘rock bottom’ before seeking support.

Below are resources that may help you manage your relationship with video games:

IMPORTANT: If you, a friend or a loved one are having thoughts of self-harm, please seek IMMEDIATE professional help. A list of suicide and crisis helplines around the world can be found here: https://findahelpline.com/ 

Learn more about Gaming Disorder and Internet Gaming Disorder

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.

Managing the Time You Spend Playing Games

Mobile devices now allow users to monitor the amount of time they spend in apps and to set time limits for app use. This includes Product Madness games.

  • On your Apple device you can use Screen Time to view time spent on your device, schedule time away from the screen, and set time limits for app use. See this link: https://support.apple.com/en-us/108806 
  • On your Android device you can use Digital Wellbeing to view how you use each app and set a limit on how much time you spend in an app each day. See this link: https://support.google.com/android/answer/9346420?hl=en 
  • You might also check out third-party apps that can block apps for a set period.
  • If your device isn’t listed above, please contact our friendly Customer Support team for further assistance. 

Disabling Your Product Madness Game Account 

Additionally, Product Madness can disable your account and make it inaccessible for a minimum of 1 year or for a longer period.  Please contact our friendly Customer Support team if you have concerns about the amount of time you are spending on our games, and are interested in blocking your account.

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.

Disabling Your Product Madness Game Account
Additionally, Product Madness can disable your account and make it inaccessible for a minimum of 1 year or for a longer period.  Please contact our friendly Customer Support team if you have concerns about the amount of money you are spending on our games, and are interested in blocking your account.


WHAT TO DO IF YOU NEED HELP? 

Self-Exclusion
Playing mobile games can be a fun part of a balanced life, but Product Madness recognises that for some people there may be too much of a good thing.

We strive to provide you with an enjoyable experience; one that includes empowering you with the ability to voluntarily exclude yourself from our games. This Self-Exclusion Policy explains how you can implement this type of change, and how this change will impact your ability to access Product Madness games in the future.

Please read this policy carefully. If you have questions after reading this policy, please reach out to our friendly Customer Support team for assistance.

Regardless of your reason - for example, you may need support to exercise control over your gameplay, your gameplay may be having a negative effect on your life, or you simply no longer wish to have a Product Madness account - you may contact our Customer Service team at any time to request a voluntary self-exclusion.  The Customer Support team will assist with your request.  Once implemented, access to your account(s) will be restricted based on your request.

Alternatively, if you prefer to set temporary limits on your gameplay and/or your in-game spending, please see this article for more information.

How can I request voluntary Self-Exclusion?
You have the option to implement a voluntary self-exclusion on your account for a minimum of 1 year, or longer if you wish, simply by contacting Customer Support. The Customer Support team will process your request within a reasonable time period after receiving your request, asking for additional information as needed. Once a voluntary self-exclusion request has been implemented, Product Madness will take reasonable steps to prevent you from creating new accounts across Product Madness games, if and when we are able to connect those new accounts to you. If you have multiple accounts using different login credentials, it is your responsibility to provide Customer Service with sufficient information to identify you as the account holder for all accounts you are requesting a voluntary self-exclusion.

Your account(s) will remain inactive and can be reviewed for reactivation following the expiration of the voluntary self-exclusion period you have chosen. To initiate the process of reactivating your account you will need to contact Customer Support. Please do not attempt to access your account(s) before Customer Support confirms the voluntary self-exclusion period has ended.

Product Madness will not be responsible for any use of your account during the period of time between submission of your request and activating the voluntary self-exclusion period. In addition, you are solely responsible for activity on new account(s) created that bypass your voluntary self-exclusion request, including using guest access or alternative email or login credentials.

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 several 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 Product Madness is not able to recommend or endorse the use of a particular third-party block software.

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:

View Your App Purchase History

Understanding your expenditure in a game is crucial for Responsible Gameplay and preventing potential problems. It helps you track how much you spend, identify potential problems, and allows you to make informed decisions about your gaming habits. 

Here's how to check your spend history

For iOS (iPhone/iPad):
1.        Open the App Store app.
2.        Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner.
3.        Tap on "Purchases".
4.        You can then view your entire purchase history, including in-app purchases. 

For Android:
1.        Open the Google Play Store app.
2.        Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner.
3.        Tap on "Payments & subscriptions".
4.        Go to "Budget & history" to see your transaction history, including in-app purchases. 

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