Responsible social gaming

Last updated: June 28, 2021

Charchingo is committed to endorsing responsible social gaming as a policy of customer care and social responsibility.
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We believe it is our responsibility to you, our customers, to ensure that you enjoy your experience on our platforms, while remaining fully aware of the potential risks that can be associated with gaming if you don't remain in control.
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To ensure that you continue to enjoy safe and manageable play, we fully support responsible social gaming and have put measures in place to assist players who wish to control their play and we reserve the right to activate these measures unilaterally if, in our sole discretion, we consider them necessary.


KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR PLAY‍
Playing computer games should be treated as a fun pastime. Here are some tips to help you maintain control of your gaming

1. Keep it fun
Playing computer games is a form of entertainment, but they should be played in moderation and not to escape reality or to generate income through winning prizes.

2. Don’t spend too much
Set a budget for your entertainment and stick to it. Only donate if you can afford to do so.

3. Keep track of the time
We’re thrilled you’re here and we hope that you can continue playing, but don’t let gaming take up too much of your time. Just like going to the movies, we’re here when you need some entertainment.

4. Make use of our gaming management tools

If you need some time out, you can take a break from playing at any time by temporarily closing your account.
If you think you may be gaming too often, consider the self-assessment questions in section 3 below.


STAYING IN CONTROL
We encourage our customers to game responsibly, so we offer a variety of responsible social gaming features.

Account Closure Options
If you feel like you want to take a break, or that your gaming has become problematic, you may voluntarily exclude yourself from the Charchingo platform by making a written request to customer support. You must include whether you wish to be excluded for a definite period of time (eg 2 weeks, 1 month, etc) or indefinitely. 
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We will endeavour to apply your self-exclusion as soon as practically possible, however, please note that this process takes a reasonable working period to implement. If you find that you can still access the Charchingo platform, it is your responsibility to inform us immediately. The self-exclusion period will begin from the date we apply it. 
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During a self-exclusion period, you will not have any access to the Charchingo platform. If you require access to your account history and information you will need to email Customer Support and request your information.
When an Indefinite Self-Exclusion is applied, it will only be possible to re-open your account by making a written email request to Customer Support. 
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We may exclude you from the Charchingo platform for a definite or indefinite period at our sole discretion if there are reasons to indicate that you may have a computer gaming problem.

Stop playing/Close your account
You may choose to close your account permanently. If you wish to do so, make a written email request to Customer Support.

We reserve the right to refuse or close a Customer Account in our sole discretion, but any contractual obligations already made by us will be honoured accordingly.


SELF-ASSESSMENT
If you think your or someone else’s computer gaming is becoming problematic, then it may be handy to consider the self-assessment questions below.

1. Do you often re-live gaming experiences or think about future ones?
2. Do you hide or lie about your gaming?
3. Do you get very angry when someone or something interrupts a game?
4. Have you ever taken a break from gaming and binged uncontrollably upon your return?
5. When upset, do you soothe yourself with games or plans to game?
6. Do you find yourself gaming in the early morning?
7. Do you find ways to game when away from home?
8. Do you set limits with gaming and then break them, playing hours longer than intended?
9. Do you lose hours of sleep to gaming?
10. Have you called in sick or late to work or skipped classes to play?
11. Have you sworn off a game, deleted your account, and later returned to it?
12. Do you feel guilt and shame around your gaming?
13. Does gaming contribute to arguments in your relationships?
14. Has gaming taken the place of any hobbies or sports you used to enjoy?
15. Do you forget appointments, responsibilities or deadlines in work or school when gaming?
16. Do you become irritated and defensive when people suggest you might be gaming too much?
17. Have your hours spent gaming increased over time?
18. Do you blow off social events to play?
19. Have you lost contact with friends and family since gaming?
20. Do you have intense feelings (highs, lows, anger, fear) while gaming?

The more questions that you answer “yes” to, the more likely it is that you are having difficulties with your gaming. To speak with someone who can give you advice and support, please contact the Support Organisation.


SUPPORT ORGANISATION
Should you wish to access help and support services for people who have been adversely affected by gaming, we advise you to get in touch with the Computer Gaming Addicts Anonymous (CGAA) using the following email address: helpline@cgaa.info

Important: Please note that the CGAA is an independent problem gaming support service and is NOT in any way affiliated with Charchingo. The CGAA does NOT provide customer support or dispute resolution services.
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PLAYER PROTECTION POLICY

1. Protection of Minors
‍Our service is restricted to users who are 21 years or older. With the internet accessible via mobile devices and in homes around the world, responsible online gaming relies heavily on parental control and supervision. In order to ensure child safety on the internet, we encourage our customers to make use of filtering software to prevent minors from accessing online material that is inappropriate for their age

2. Tips for parents
We offer the following tips for parents:
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1. Keep your username and password safe.
2. Do not leave your computer or device unattended when logged in to your account.
3. Do not use the “Remember Me” feature on a shared computer or device, especially if you share your computer or device with children.
4. Take particular care regarding the use by minors of all electronic and mobile devices.
5. Keep your bank cards and bank account details out of reach of children.
6. Do not allow minors (under 18 years) to participate in any gaming activity meant for adults (+18 years).
7. Make use of filtering software to prevent your children from accessing inappropriate material online.
If you share your device or computer with friends or family who are under the legal age to participate in online social gaming, we recommend that you restrict their access to gaming platforms. There are third-party services available that may be able to assist with this. These services are not associated with Charchingo and are third-party operated. Charchingo does not warrant their effectiveness or security.

3. Tips for players
We offer the following tips for players:
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1. Make sure that the decision to play Charchingo is your own personal choice.
2. Determine how much you will spend before playing.
3. Before you start playing, familiarise yourself with the rules of the games.
4. We suggest that you don’t play on our platform if:a) it interferes with your daily responsibilities;
b) you are being treated or are in recovery for any type of dependency;
c) you are under the influence of alcohol or any other substance; or
d) your primary purpose is to pay debts using prizes you might win.