Gambling can be an enjoyable pastime when approached with awareness and clear personal limits. The information on this page is intended to help you recognise the signs of gambling-related harm and find support if you need it.
Keeping Gambling in Check
Healthy gambling means treating it as entertainment rather than a way to earn money or recover losses. A few practical habits can help you stay in control:
- Set a budget before you play and treat any losses as the cost of entertainment, not a debt to chase.
- Set a time limit for each session and stick to it, regardless of whether you are winning or losing.
- Avoid gambling when upset, stressed, or under the influence of alcohol or other substances, as these states impair judgement.
- Take regular breaks during play to maintain perspective.
- Never borrow money to gamble and avoid using funds set aside for essential expenses.
Recognising Problem Gambling
Gambling becomes harmful when it starts to interfere with your finances, relationships, work, or mental health. Warning signs include spending more than you can afford, feeling unable to stop, lying to others about how much you gamble, and using gambling to escape difficult emotions. If any of these patterns sound familiar, seeking help early makes a significant difference.
Support Organisations
Several independent organisations offer free, confidential help to people affected by gambling-related harm. These services are available regardless of which platform you use.
- Visit gamcare.org.uk or call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 (available 24 hours a day).
- Gamblers Anonymous — peer support meetings for people who want to stop gambling. Visit gamblersanonymous.org.uk.
- GamAnon — support for family members and friends affected by someone else's gambling.
- BeGambleAware — provides information, self-assessment tools, and referrals to treatment. Visit begambleaware.org.
- Gordon Moody — residential and online treatment programmes for people with severe gambling problems. Visit gordonmoody.org.uk.
Self-Exclusion
GAMSTOP is a free national self-exclusion scheme for online gambling in Great Britain. Registering at gamstop.co.uk allows you to restrict yourself from all participating online gambling sites for a period of your choosing — six months, one year, or five years. Once active, the exclusion cannot be reversed before the chosen period ends.
Protecting Young People
Gambling products are intended for adults only. If you share a device with younger people, consider installing dedicated parental control software to prevent access to gambling websites. Independent tools such as Gamban and BetFilter can block gambling content across multiple devices and browsers.
Getting Help
If you are concerned about your own gambling or that of someone close to you, reaching out to one of the organisations listed above is a constructive first step. You do not need to have reached a crisis point to ask for help — speaking to someone early is always worthwhile.