Keep the pools a pastime

Why a free rock-pool game is still 19+

Social casino games borrow the look, sound and rhythm of real gambling. That is why Tidepool Star Cove is meant only for adults over the legal gambling age and is not aimed at anyone under 19. We confirm age at two points: the banner that greets you when you arrive, and a required tick on the field register when you open your account.

Lines the cove will never cross

• Host real-money gambling or advertise it on the shore.
• Give away anything with real-world value as a prize.
• Sell shore coins or add any in-app purchase.
• Point beachcombers to gambling operators or affiliates.
• Use countdown clocks or streaks to tug you back to the shore.

A straight word from the research hut

A free game can be set up to feel generous, and it tops up your balance at no cost. Real-money games do neither of those things. A good run in the cove tells you nothing about how you would fare with money at stake.

Signs the tide is turning on you

• Staying on the rocks long after you meant to leave.
• Turning prickly as a sea urchin when you have to stop.
• Spinning to get away from a bad mood.
• Spins crowding out sleep, work or the people in your life.
• Searching out a real-money version of these games.

Keeping your footing on the rocks

• Check your own tide table: choose how long to play before you begin.
• Leave autoplay off, and spin by hand.
• Walk up the beach for a break now and again.
• To start from scratch, clear this site’s data; to stop for good, block the site in your device settings.

Canadian helplines, free of charge

Worried about a child using this site? Write to [email protected] and we will help you block it.