Responsible gambling

Gambling should be a form of entertainment, not a way to make money. If it starts feeling like a way out of money problems, that’s a sign to stop and talk to someone.

Quick self-check

• Are you spending more than you planned, or chasing losses?
• Are you gambling alone, secretly, or to escape stress?
• Is gambling affecting work, sleep, family or finances?
• Have people close to you said something about it?

If any of those feel familiar, the services below are free, confidential and independent.

UK support services

• GamCare — National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 (24/7), live chat and structured support.
• GAMSTOP — free national self-exclusion from all UK-licensed online operators.
• GambleAware — independent charity for gambling harm prevention, with treatment finder.
• UK Gambling Commission — the regulator. Use their site to check operator licences.

Practical things you can do today

• Set a deposit limit and a session time limit on every account.
• Use reality-check pop-ups and cool-off / time-out features.
• Turn off marketing emails and push notifications.
• Block gambling sites on your devices (most banks also offer card-level blocks).
• Use GAMSTOP if you want to step away from all UK sites in one go.

18+ only. Gambling involves risk. If you need to talk to someone right now, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.