Where Gilded Pass stands
This shortlist is about places to sleep, and we would rather nobody gambled because of it. All ten resorts repay the trip without a single visit to the gaming hall. For readers who play regardless, a few guardrails keep the evening in proportion.
Guardrails worth packing
- Play only above the legal age for your destination, which differs from one country to another; expect staff to ask for ID.
- Fix a spending ceiling you could lose without regret before the first hand, and leave the plastic behind in your room's safe.
- Pick a finishing hour and set your phone to buzz at it, and take breaks off the floor in between.
- Treat money already lost as gone: no chasing it, and no borrowing to stay at the table.
- Give the casino a miss if you feel worn out, low, angry or a few drinks in.
Red flags
Blowing past your limit, keeping your play secret from family or friends, or feeling twitchy on days without it are signs the habit may be slipping from your grip. Plenty of resorts run a voluntary scheme that bars a guest from the gaming floor on request; the front desk can tell you how theirs operates.
Support lines, all free of charge
- Gambling Therapy: free online support, including live chat in a range of languages, open to anyone anywhere (gamblingtherapy.org).
- Gamblers Anonymous: peer meetings held in towns and cities around the world (gamblersanonymous.org).
- Gam-Anon: gatherings for those whose spouse, child or friend gambles (gam-anon.org).
- Your local helpline: almost every country has a confidential, free line, and your doctor or a nearby health centre can point you to it.