Responsible gambling and support
If gambling is causing you or someone close to you worry, free and confidential help is available at any hour. The National Gambling Helpline is 0808 8020 133, open 24 hours a day. This page lists who to call, what the signs of harm look like and the tools that can limit your gambling. licenzio is written for readers aged 18 and older.
National Gambling Helpline, free, 24 hours
0808 8020 133- Helpline run by GamCare
- GAMSTOP self-exclusion
Getting gambling support
Call first. You do not need to be sure there is a problem.
Immediate concerns
If you feel unsafe or are thinking about harming yourself, call Samaritans free on 116 123 at any time, or contact emergency services. You do not have to cope alone, and a call can be anonymous.
Dunlewey, the Northern Ireland service above, also answers callers in the Republic of Ireland on 1800 936 725. The nidirect gambling page also lists Chapter One, run by Extern, and Cuan Mhuire.
Confidential specialist support
GamCare’s National Gambling Helpline offers advice, brief support and referrals by phone, live chat or WhatsApp. In England you can also refer yourself to an NHS gambling clinic or ask your GP, as set out on the NHS gambling addiction page. Since 1 April 2026 NHS England has been responsible for commissioning treatment of gambling harms in England.
That NHS page links seven specialist services: the National Problem Gambling Clinic, run by CNWL, and regional services for the North, the South, the West Midlands, the East Midlands, the East of England and the South West. Treatment there comes from psychiatrists and psychologists. The NHS England programme, funded by the statutory levy, covers care from referral and triage through to aftercare. In England and Scotland, GamCare’s Support Finder lists services near you.
Recognising when gambling is causing harm
Harm shows in money, time and relationships before it shows anywhere else.
Financial warning signs
- Gambling with money meant for rent, bills or food.
- Borrowing, or using credit, to gamble or to cover losses.
- Chasing losses by playing again to win the money back.
- Hiding how much you spend, or spending more than you planned, again and again.
Effects on relationships and wellbeing
- Lying to people close to you about where the time or money went.
- Feeling anxious, irritable or low when you are not gambling, or guilty when you are.
- Missing work, family time or sleep because of gambling.
One sign does not mean a diagnosis. If two or three sound familiar, a call to the helpline is a sensible next step.
Self-exclusion, time-outs and spending limits
Tools that put a barrier between you and the next bet.
Account controls
Most licensed operators let you set deposit limits, take a time-out or close an account from your account settings, and you can ask them to do it. Banks also offer gambling blocks: several UK banks let you stop card payments to gambling merchants from their app, usually with a short delay if you later switch them back on. Free blocking software, such as BetBlocker, can stop gambling sites and apps on your devices. Gamban is another blocking app; GamCare notes that some of these tools are free and some charge.
Self-exclusion schemes
GAMSTOP is the free national online self-exclusion scheme. It blocks gambling websites and apps licensed in Great Britain, covers people who live in the UK including Northern Ireland, and runs for periods from six months up to five years. You cannot cancel the registration during the period you chose, and you can set it to renew when the period ends. Licensed operators must close your account and return any money in it. The scheme does not replace support: if gambling feels out of control, speak to the helpline as well.
Support with money and for affected family members
Debt can be dealt with, and families can get help in their own right.
| Service | What it offers | Phone | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Gambling Helpline (GamCare) | Free, confidential advice and referrals, by phone, live chat or WhatsApp | 0808 8020 133 | 24 hours a day, every day of the year |
| Dunlewey Problem Gambling Service (Northern Ireland) | Free counselling and helpline for over-18s in Northern Ireland | 08000 886 725 | 24 hours, 365 days |
| Samaritans | Listening support for anyone who is struggling | 116 123 (free) | Any time, day or night |
| StepChange | Free debt advice | 0800 138 1111 | Mon to Fri 8am to 8pm, Sat 9am to 2pm |
| National Debtline | Free debt advice | 0808 808 4000 | Mon to Fri 9am to 8pm, Sat 9.30am to 1pm |
| Citizens Advice debt helpline (England) | Debt advice | 0800 240 4420 | Mon to Fri 9am to 8pm, Sat 9.30am to 1pm, not public holidays |
Numbers and hours as printed on each service’s own website on 27 October 2026. Check the service’s site before you rely on opening hours.
If someone close to you gambles, Gam-Anon UK & Ireland runs meetings for people affected by another person’s gambling. It publishes no phone line: contact is by email through its website, and meeting times vary from group to group. If you share an account with someone who gambles, your bank can explain your options.
Choosing a next step
Pick one action today.
- Talk to someoneCall 0808 8020 133, or use live chat or WhatsApp through GamCare.Free, 24 hours a day
- Put a barrier in placeRegister with GAMSTOP, switch on a bank gambling block and install blocking software.Takes minutes
- Look at the moneyContact a free debt adviser from the table above before debts grow.Free and confidential
- Keep goingTreatment is available through NHS clinics in England, and the helpline can point you to support in the rest of the UK.Self-referral or via your GP
In Great Britain the Gambling Commission publishes its own guide to complaining about a gambling business. Gambling is for adults only, aged 18 and older, and About licenzio explains who publishes this site.