Responsible gambling — help, tools and how to seek support
Gambling carries a real risk of financial loss and, for a meaningful minority of players, of harm that runs well beyond the wallet — affecting work, relationships, mental health and the people around the gambler in ways that don't always surface in the player's own account history. The resources on this page are free, independent and run by people who deal with gambling harm every day. If you're worried, please use them.
Get help right now
National Gambling Helpline — 0808 8020 133. Free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Run by GamCare. You can also use the NetLine chat on gamcare.org.uk if you'd rather not speak on the phone.
Independent support and information
BeGambleAware
begambleaware.org — the largest independent charity grantor of treatment and harm-prevention work in Great Britain. The site has self-assessment tools, a treatment directory, and material for people supporting someone with a gambling problem.
GamCare
gamcare.org.uk — runs the National Gambling Helpline, the NetLine chat service, support groups, and one-to-one counselling. Services are free and confidential.
Gordon Moody
gordonmoody.org.uk — provides residential treatment for severe gambling addiction and a number of online recovery programmes.
Gamblers Anonymous
gamblersanonymous.org.uk — peer support meetings, in person and online, on the 12-step model.
Self-exclusion: GAMSTOP
gamstop.co.uk is the national online self-exclusion scheme. One registration excludes you from every UKGC-licensed online gambling operator for six months, one year, or five years. Every operator listed on this site participates.
Self-exclusion through GAMSTOP is binding for the duration you set. Operators are required to honour it and cannot reverse it on request. If you need a long-term break from gambling, GAMSTOP is the strongest tool available in the UK.
Tools you can use on operator sites
UKGC-licensed operators are required to offer a standard set of player-protection tools. They include:
- Deposit limits — daily, weekly and monthly caps on how much you can deposit
- Loss limits — a ceiling on net loss across a defined period
- Time limits and reality checks — pop-up reminders after a set play time
- Time-out — a short voluntary pause from your account, typically 24 hours up to 6 weeks
- Account-level self-exclusion — exclusion from a single operator for at least 6 months
- Activity statements — a record of your deposits, wagers, wins and losses
These are required by the regulator. If you can't find them on an operator's site, contact the operator's support team — and let us know.
Recognise the signs
Common warning signs of gambling-related harm include:
- Spending more time or money on gambling than you intended
- Borrowing money or selling possessions to gamble
- Lying to family or friends about how much you gamble
- Gambling to escape stress, anxiety, or low mood
- Trying to win back losses by gambling more
- Feeling restless or irritable when you try to cut back
If two or more of these apply, talk to someone. The helpline and the resources above are confidential and free. You don't need a diagnosis to ask for help — you just need to want it.
If you're supporting someone else
Living with someone whose gambling is out of control is its own kind of difficult. GamAnon runs support groups for family and friends. BeGambleAware has a section specifically for people in that position. The helpline takes calls from family members, not just from gamblers.