A call to action is the smallest unit of copy that still has to earn its keep. Get it right and a player sets a limit, finishes a quiz, or finds support in one tap. Get it wrong and a good page goes nowhere. This library sorts every Playbook CTA by function — what you want the player to do — so you can pull the right verb for the moment instead of guessing.
A CTA should feel like a feature, not a mandate. “Set your limits” is an invitation. “You must set limits” is a command. Playbook always invites — adapt the label to your platform's UI, but keep it conversational and specific.
Button, link, or inline?
Before the words, the container. The same sentence behaves differently as a primary button, a secondary button, a text link, or an inline phrase — and only one action per screen should ever be the primary button. Choose the format first, then write to fit it.
| Format | When to use it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Primary button | One clear action per screen — the single thing you most want the player to do. | “Set your limits” on the deposit screen. |
| Secondary button | A supporting action that should be available but not the focus. | “Learn more” next to a feature description. |
| Text link | Inline within body copy, where the action depends on context. | “See how the odds comparison tool works.” |
| Inline CTA | Inside a paragraph or notification — conversational, no button chrome. | “Your stats are ready. Take a look.” |
The urgency spectrum
CTAs run from a soft nudge to a strong prompt. The skill is matching the pressure to the moment: a curious “See how it works” suits a first-time visitor, while “Talk to someone now” belongs only where a player is actively reaching for help. Turn the volume up as the stakes rise — never before.
| Level | Tone | When to use | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft nudge | Curious, low-pressure | Awareness, education, first exposure | “See how it works” · “Learn more” |
| Confident invite | Self-assured, direct | Feature promotion, returning players | “Set your limits” · “Take the quiz” |
| Warm prompt | Supportive, clear | Limit reached, session reminders | “Check your activity” · “Review your session” |
| Strong prompt | Direct, no-nonsense | Help-seeking, Tier 2 crossover | “Talk to someone now” · “Call 1-800-GAMBLER” |
The CTA library by function
Each table below shows a representative set from one category — the full library ships in the repo. Every CTA carries a maximum character count (so it fits a button without wrapping), its typical placement, and the tone register it should be written in.
Entertainment literacy
These drive players to learn how games actually work — the odds, the math, the mechanics. They pair naturally with the game guides and the Open-pillar taglines.
| Code | CTA label | Max | Context / placement | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EL-1 | “Take the quiz” | 14 | Game IQ quiz, odds quiz, myth-busting quiz | Playful |
| EL-3 | “See the real odds” | 18 | Odds education, game comparisons | Confident |
| EL-6 | “See how it works” | 17 | Game mechanics, RNG explainers, house edge | Confident |
| EL-7 | “Get the facts” | 14 | Myth-busting content, odds explainers | Confident |
| EL-8 | “Compare the odds” | 17 | Odds comparison tool, game selection | Confident |
| EL-9 | “See the math” | 13 | Detailed odds breakdowns, data visualizations | Confident |
Tool adoption
These get players to activate a feature — a limit, a budget, a session reminder, a dashboard. Note how the tone shifts to Warm the moment the action touches money or time.
| Code | CTA label | Max | Context / placement | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TA-1 | “Set your limits” | 16 | Deposit / loss / session limit setup, onboarding | Confident |
| TA-3 | “Check your stats” | 17 | Activity dashboard, play summary | Confident |
| TA-4 | “Set a session reminder” | 23 | Session timer activation, settings | Warm |
| TA-6 | “Set your budget” | 16 | Deposit flow, onboarding, first session | Warm |
| TA-7 | “Update your limits” | 19 | Account settings, limit adjustment | Confident |
| TA-10 | “Activate your tools” | 20 | Onboarding, first-time setup | Confident |
Content engagement
These pull a reader deeper into Playbook content — the next article, the related topic, the full myth library.
| Code | CTA label | Max | Context / placement | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CE-1 | “Explore more” | 13 | Content hub, related articles, end of articles | Confident |
| CE-2 | “Read the full article” | 22 | Social post linking to blog, email teaser | Confident |
| CE-3 | “See all myths” | 15 | Myth-busting hub, campaign landing page | Playful |
| CE-7 | “Browse by game type” | 20 | Content hub, game-specific navigation | Confident |
Social sharing
These turn players into distributors. They live on quiz results, fact cards, and myth-busters — the moments a player is most likely to want to pass something along.
| Code | CTA label | Max | Context / placement | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SS-1 | “Share this” | 11 | Quiz results, myth-busters, fact cards | Playful |
| SS-2 | “Challenge a friend” | 19 | Quiz sharing, competitive content | Playful |
| SS-4 | “Share your score” | 17 | Quiz results screen, leaderboards | Playful |
| SS-5 | “Tag someone who needs this” | 28 | Social posts, myth-busters | Playful |
| SS-7 | “Share the facts” | 16 | Educational content, data visualizations | Confident |
Sharing CTAs are the most culture-dependent in the set. “Challenge a friend” lands in individualist, competitive markets but can fall flat elsewhere — swap to a communal frame like “Share with your group” where that fits better.
Help-seeking
These make support findable without being intrusive. They are Tier 2 crossover CTAs: in everyday (Tier 1) contexts they are present but never the primary action — always one tap away. In support and crisis contexts they move to primary position and the tone is uniformly warm and direct. See Voice & Tone for the tier boundary.
| Code | CTA label | Max | Context / placement | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HS-1 | “Talk to someone — free and confidential” | 42 | Helpline access, support page | Warm |
| HS-2 | “Call 1-800-GAMBLER” | ~25 | Direct phone helpline, footer | Warm |
| HS-3 | “Pause your account” | 19 | Self-exclusion entry point, account settings | Warm |
| HS-5 | “Chat with someone now” | 22 | Live chat support link | Warm |
| HS-6 | “Take a break” | 13 | Cool-off period activation | Warm |
Account management
These guide players through their own settings — review, update, export, finish setup.
| Code | CTA label | Max | Context / placement | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM-1 | “Go to settings” | 15 | Account management, navigation | Confident |
| AM-3 | “Update your preferences” | 24 | Settings page, preference management | Confident |
| AM-5 | “Download your activity” | 23 | Data export, activity history | Confident |
| AM-6 | “Complete your setup” | 20 | Onboarding completion, partial setup | Warm |
A/B testing the close calls
Several CTAs are genuinely too close to call from the armchair. Rather than argue, test them. Below are the highest-value matchups and the hypothesis behind each.
| Test | Variant A | Variant B | Hypothesis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz entry | “Take the quiz” | “Test your game IQ” | A longer, more specific CTA may lift click-through. |
| Limit setting | “Set your limits” | “Set your budget” | “Budget” may feel more natural and less restrictive than “limits.” |
| Dashboard | “Check your stats” | “See your activity” | “Stats” is casual; “activity” is neutral. Which converts? |
| Sharing | “Share this” | “Send to a friend” | Personal framing may raise the share rate. |
| Help access | “Find support” | “Talk to someone” | A person-focused CTA may reduce friction. |
One variable at a time — don't change the text and the color and the placement at once. Run a full cycle — at least two weeks or 1,000 impressions per variant. Measure the action, not the click — success is the player setting a limit or finishing the quiz, not just tapping. Document the winner — fold it back into the library so the whole team benefits.
Accessibility
CTA text has to work for every player, including those navigating by screen reader — where a link is announced with no surrounding context. Two habits cause most of the failures, and both are easy to avoid.
- Verb-first. Start every CTA with an action: Set, Take, See, Check, Share.
- Describe the destination. The player should know what happens before tapping — “See the real odds,” not “Go.”
- Meet contrast and target size. WCAG 2.1 AA (4.5:1 text, 3:1 large text) and a 44×44px minimum touch target.
- “Click here.” Announced out of context, it tells the player nothing.
- Bare “Learn more.” If it must appear alone, add a visually hidden label naming the topic.
- Mouse-only verbs. “Click” excludes touch and keyboard users — prefer “Tap,” “Open,” or the action itself.
The fix for an ambiguous link is an accessible name that the screen reader can read aloud. Here is what good announcements sound like:
| Visual CTA | Screen-reader announcement |
|---|---|
| “Take the quiz” | “Take the quiz, link” |
| “Set your limits” | “Set your limits, button” |
| “Share this” | “Share this article about house edge, link” (via aria-label) |
| “Learn more” | “Learn more about deposit limits, link” (via sr-only text) |
CTAs are the action layer on top of the message layer. For the full sentences they cap, see Core Messages; for the brand lines they pair with, see the Tagline System. Accessibility specifics live in the Accessibility chapter.