For Players
Gambling is a form of entertainment for many residents and visitors of Sint Maarten. For some, it can become a problem. This page offers a confidential self-check, practical guidance for keeping play safe, and contact details of organizations on Sint Maarten that provide help — for players, and for the people around them.
Please note: the Sint Maarten Gambling Authority is in the process of being established, pending the adoption of the National Gambling Ordinance (Kansspelverordening). Until the ordinance enters into force, the Authority has no legal powers and cannot handle individual complaints, impose measures on operators, or register players for self-exclusion. The information on this page is educational and free for anyone to use.
Understanding the risks
Most people who gamble do so for entertainment, without lasting problems. But gambling carries real risks, and knowing how they work is the best protection there is. Gambling problems are not something that only happens to "other people" — they can develop gradually, in anyone, often without a clear moment where fun turned into trouble.
How games of chance actually work
Every casino game, slot machine, and lottery is built on the same principle: over time, the odds favor the house. That is not unfair play — it is how the games are designed, and it is what pays for the prizes, the premises, and the profit. It means that the longer and more often you play, the more likely you are to lose money overall. Winning is possible, but it is luck, not skill, and no strategy, system, or lucky streak changes the underlying odds.
What gambling harm looks like
Gambling-related harm is broader than addiction alone. It can include losing money needed for rent, food, or family; borrowing to play; conflict with a partner or family; stress, poor sleep, and feeling down; and trouble concentrating at work or school. Harm often builds up gradually, and the people around a player frequently notice it before the player does.
Thinking traps — why your brain plays along
Games of chance exploit some very human ways of thinking. Recognizing these patterns in yourself is one of the most effective forms of self-protection:
"I'm due for a win." After a run of losses, it feels like a win must be coming. It isn't. Chance has no memory: every spin, draw, or hand has exactly the same odds as the one before, no matter what happened earlier.
Chasing losses. Wanting to win back money you have lost is a natural reaction — and one of the most reliable ways small losses turn into big ones. Money lost is the price of the entertainment. The moment you are playing to get it back is the moment to stop.
The near miss. Two matching symbols and a third just off the payline feels like you almost won. In reality, a near miss is simply a loss — but it is designed to feel like progress and keeps players going.
The illusion of control. Choosing your own numbers, pressing the button yourself, or following a ritual feels like influence over the outcome. It has none. The outcome of a game of chance cannot be influenced by skill, timing, or experience.
Remembering wins, forgetting losses. Wins are exciting and memorable; the many smaller losses in between fade. This makes most players believe they are doing better than they actually are. Keeping honest track of what you spend is the antidote.
None of this means gambling cannot be enjoyed — it means it should be done consciously, with clear limits, and with an honest eye on your own behavior. The tips below help you do that, and the self-check on this page is a quick, anonymous way to see where you stand.
Check your gambling — a confidential self-test
This self-check uses the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), an internationally recognized, evidence-based screening questionnaire. It consists of nine questions about the past 12 months and takes about two minutes. The test is completely anonymous. Your answers are processed only in your own browser — nothing is stored, and nothing is sent to us or to anyone else. You can take the test as often as you like; repeating it from time to time is a good way to notice changes in your own behavior. The result is an indication, not a diagnosis. Only a qualified professional can assess your situation.
Take the self-testWhere to find help on Sint Maarten
Help with problem gambling is available on the island, free of judgment and in confidence. You do not need a referral to make a first call. These organizations also support family members, partners, and friends of someone who gambles.
Stichting Cooperation
Stichting Co‑operation is the sole legal entity formerly operating under the trade name “Turning Point Foundation” (or “Turning Point”). The trade name has been formally discontinued. Sint Maarten's addiction treatment and rehabilitation center, providing counseling and treatment programs for addiction, including support for families.
- WhatsApp Support Line
- +1 (721) 550-3405
- info@stcosxm.org
- Address
- Soualiga Blvd. #5 Pond Island, Philipsburg
- Website
- stcosxm.org/
Mental Health Foundation (MHF)
The Mental Health Foundation provides psychiatric and mental health care for Sint Maarten and neighboring islands, including ambulant care, prevention, and crisis intervention.
- Emergency/ crisis line
- +1-721-585-5556
- Admission
- +1-721-585-8422
- General
- +1-721-542-1677
- info@mhf-sxm.com
- Address
- Leopard Road #1 Cay Hill
- Website
- www.mhf.sx/
Are you an organization on Sint Maarten offering support with problem gambling and not listed here? Contact us via the contact page.
Play it safe
Most people who gamble do so without problems. These habits help keep it that way:
Set a budget first. Decide beforehand how much you can afford to lose, and stop when you reach it — whether you are winning or losing.
Set a time limit. Decide in advance how long you will play, and keep to it.
Never chase losses. Money lost is the cost of the entertainment. Trying to win it back is how small losses become big ones.
Gambling is not a source of income. The odds are always in favor of the house. Treat any win as a bonus, never as a plan.
Only gamble with money you have. Never borrow money to gamble, and never gamble with money needed for rent, food, or family.
Don't play to escape. Gambling when stressed, lonely, or upset — or under the influence of alcohol — leads to poorer decisions.
Take regular breaks. Balance gambling with other activities; it should never be your main pastime.
Adults only. Gambling is not for anyone under 18.
Worried about someone else?
Problem gambling rarely affects the player alone. Partners, children, family, and friends often notice the signs first: unexplained money problems, borrowing without a clear reason, secrecy about time or spending, mood swings, or withdrawal from family life. If you are worried about someone, the organizations listed above also support family members and friends — you can contact them yourself, without the player's involvement, to get advice on how to raise the subject and what help is available.
Know where you play
The Casino Guide provides a factual overview of casinos and lottery operators on Sint Maarten, including their locations. Knowing where you play is a basic part of informed play.
View the Casino GuidePlayer protection: a core goal of the reform
Better protection of players is not an afterthought of the gambling sector reform — it is one of its central goals. [PLACEHOLDER — insert the exact wording used elsewhere on the site for the reform's goals, so it matches word-for-word.]
Three decades of reports on Sint Maarten's gambling sector — from public health studies to socio-economic advice — consistently point to the need for structural attention to gambling addiction, prevention, and consumer protection. This page is a first, practical step that requires no legal mandate: informing players and connecting them with help that exists today.
Read the full history on the Historical Overview page →What we can and cannot do today
Today, we can
- Provide public information about safe play and problem gambling
- Offer this anonymous self-check, free of charge
- Refer players and their families to help organizations on Sint Maarten
- Provide factual information about the gambling sector through this website and the Casino Guide
We cannot (yet)
- Handle individual complaints about casinos, lotteries, or other gambling operators
- Take enforcement action against operators
- Register players for self-exclusion or impose player limits
These powers depend on the National Gambling Ordinance (Kansspelverordening) entering into force. Until then, the Sint Maarten Gambling Authority is in formation and has no legal authority. This page will be updated as the legislative process advances.