When gambling starts to cost you money, health or relationships, gambling support is free and available today. There is no need to wait for things to get worse. GamCare’s advisers answer 0808 8020 133, the National Gambling Helpline for England and Scotland, 24 hours a day. They also take live chat on GamCare’s website at any hour. For Wales, the Gambling Commission lists the NHS Wales gambling helpline, 0808 2819 265, also free, 24 hours a day.
If you cannot keep yourself or someone else safe, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent mental health help that is not an emergency, the NHS urgent-help guidance points you to 111.
What are the warning signs of gambling harm?
Chasing losses, hiding what you spend and borrowing to cover bills are among the signs GamCare lists. Distress about gambling counts even when the losses look small to someone else. GamCare’s signs-of-harm guide can help you think it through.
If you’re unsure what to say, keep it simple. Something like “I’m worried about my gambling and want help with what to do next” is enough. You can call about someone else’s gambling too.
Which self-exclusion and blocking tools stop gambling?
Each tool closes a different route to gambling, and using several together makes a break easier to keep.
| Tool | What it covers | Before relying on it |
|---|---|---|
| Operator self-exclusion | That business’s own accounts. Gambling businesses must offer it by law | Ask which accounts and brands it covers, and get the answer in writing |
| GAMSTOP | Online accounts with businesses licensed in Great Britain, for UK residents, free, for a minimum of 6 months, 1 year or 5 years. It then stays in place for a further 7 years unless you ask GAMSTOP to remove it | Registering is separate from closing an account |
| Venue exclusion | Bookmakers, casinos, bingo halls and arcades, arranged venue by venue or through a scheme | Ask each venue or scheme what it covers |
| Device blocking | Gambling websites and apps, on each device where the software is installed | Put it on every device you use |
| Bank gambling block | Gambling payments from your cards and accounts, where your bank offers a block | Ask your bank what it blocks and what it misses |
GamCare’s self-exclusion guidance links to each scheme, and GAMSTOP registers you online. When an operator confirms an exclusion, keep the reference it gives. Closing an operator account doesn’t register you with GAMSTOP, and no single block covers every route, so combine them.
If you’ve already excluded yourself, keep that decision in place. Hunting for another site or payment method can undo the break. Tell an adviser if the urge to get round a block is hard to manage.
How can money for bills be protected from gambling?
Keep money for rent, food and bills apart from anything you might gamble with. Check bank statements and gambling-account records for the whole pattern, small payments included. Gambling can’t pay off a debt.
GamCare’s money guidance covers budgeting, spending priorities and banking tools. Its Money Guidance Service doesn’t give debt advice itself, but it can refer you on to free debt advice.
What helps when a gambling limit keeps being raised?
GamCare says a complete break is usually the best way to take control of gambling. For anyone not ready to stop, tools can reduce it. Operators offer some of those tools, such as deposit limits, reality checks and time-outs.
Set them on every account you use.
If you keep raising a limit or topping up after losing, ring the Helpline before the next deposit. GamCare is plain that gambling is never a way to make money, and the longer you gamble, the more you’ll lose.
GamCare’s safer gambling page also shows where to find local treatment.
Where can family or friends find help?
The NHS runs specialist gambling clinics in England, which you can self-refer to or ask a GP about. Its gambling support page also covers help for people affected by someone else’s gambling.
If you’re worried about someone close, say what you’ve noticed without trying to diagnose them. Offer to help them contact a service, and look after your own finances and support as well.
Where can help be found today?
BettingWoW can’t counsel you, run an exclusion scheme or manage your gambling accounts. The services above explain their own availability, confidentiality and eligibility.
You must be 18 or older to gamble. GAMSTOP registration is free, and 0808 8020 133 connects you to the National Gambling Helpline whenever you need it.