Safer gambling and free UK support
Casino games are entertainment, and they are designed so the house holds an edge. If play stops feeling like entertainment, help is free, confidential and available right now.
Need to talk to someone today?
Call the National Gambling Helpline free on 0808 8020 133. It is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and the call will not appear on your phone bill.
Free UK support services
National Gambling Helpline
0808 8020 133Free and confidential, 24 hours a day, every day. Run by GamCare, with live chat and WhatsApp available as well as phone.
GAMSTOP
gamstop.co.ukOne free registration blocks you from every online gambling site licensed in Great Britain for six months, one year or five years.
GambleAware
begambleaware.orgIndependent information, self-assessment tools and a directory of free local treatment services across England, Scotland and Wales.
Gamblers Anonymous UK
gamblersanonymous.org.ukPeer-support meetings in person and online, run by people with direct experience of gambling harm.
Gordon Moody
gordonmoody.org.ukFree residential and intensive treatment programmes for people experiencing severe gambling harm.
GamFam
gamfam.org.ukSupport built specifically for families and friends affected by someone else's gambling.
Tools that are built into every licensed site
UK-licensed operators must give you working controls over your own play, and using them is normal rather than exceptional. Set them up when you register, while you are calm and nothing is at stake:
- Limits. Cap what you are prepared to use for entertainment over a day, week or month. Tightening a limit applies immediately; loosening one is deliberately slow.
- Session reminders. A reality check interrupts play at an interval you choose and tells you how long you have been in the lobby.
- Time-outs. Lock your account for 24 hours up to six weeks. No explanation is required and the operator cannot market to you during it.
- Self-exclusion. Shut your account for a minimum of six months with that operator, or use GAMSTOP to cover every licensed site in Great Britain at once.
Signs worth acting on early
- Playing for longer than you planned, or more often than you intended
- Thinking about gambling when you are meant to be working, studying or resting
- Chasing a loss with another session to put things right
- Hiding how much you play from people close to you
- Feeling irritable, anxious or low when you are not playing
- Choosing gambling over plans, people or responsibilities that matter to you
None of these mean the situation is beyond help. They mean it is worth a conversation, and the earlier that happens the easier it is.
Blocking software and practical barriers
Free and low-cost tools such as Gamban, BetBlocker and Gamblock block gambling sites and apps across your devices, and most UK banks offer a gambling block in their app. Combining GAMSTOP, a bank block and device-level blocking software removes the easy access that makes impulse sessions possible.
Protecting under-18s
Gambling online is restricted to adults aged 18 and over in the United Kingdom, and every licensed operator must verify age before play. If a young person has access to your devices, use parental controls and keep account credentials private. Nothing on this site is directed at anyone under 18.
Supporting someone else
If you are worried about a partner, relative or friend, GamFam and the National Gambling Helpline both support family members directly, and you do not need the other person's agreement to get advice for yourself.