Gambling can be an enjoyable pastime, but it carries real risks. Understanding those risks and knowing how to manage your play are essential steps toward keeping gambling from causing harm.
Recognising Problem Gambling
Problem gambling can develop gradually and is not always easy to spot. Some signs that gambling may be becoming harmful include:
- Spending more money or time gambling than you intended
- Chasing losses by placing further bets to recover money already lost
- Gambling with money set aside for essential expenses such as rent, bills, or food
- Feeling anxious, irritable, or restless when not gambling
- Hiding gambling activity from friends or family
- Borrowing money or selling possessions to fund gambling
- Neglecting work, studies, or relationships because of gambling
Recognising these patterns early gives you a better chance of addressing them before significant harm occurs. Honest self-reflection is a good starting point, and free self-assessment tools are available through several support organisations.
Practical Steps to Stay in Control
There are straightforward habits that can help keep gambling within safe limits:
- Set a budget. Decide in advance the maximum amount you are willing to lose in a session and stop when you reach it.
- Set a time limit. Agree with yourself how long you will play and use an alarm or timer to keep track.
- Avoid chasing losses. Accepting a loss and walking away is always a viable option.
- Take regular breaks. Continuous play can distort your sense of time and money.
- Don't gamble under the influence. Alcohol and other substances impair judgement and can lead to decisions you would not otherwise make.
- Balance gambling with other activities. Relying on gambling as your primary source of entertainment or excitement is a warning sign.
Getting Help and Support
Several independent organisations offer confidential advice, counselling, and support to people affected by gambling harm, including friends and family members. In Great Britain, the following resources are available:
- National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133 (free, 24 hours a day).
- Gamblers Anonymous — peer support meetings for people who want to stop gambling.
- GamAnon — support for family members and friends affected by someone else's gambling.
- BeGambleAware — information, advice, and a directory of local treatment services at begambleaware.org.
- Gordon Moody — residential and online treatment programmes for people with severe gambling problems.
If you are outside Great Britain, national equivalents exist in many countries. A search for "gambling helpline" alongside your country name will locate local services.
Self-Exclusion
Self-exclusion is a formal way to block yourself from gambling for a set period. In Great Britain, GAMSTOP is a free national self-exclusion scheme that registers your details and asks participating online operators to prevent you from gambling with them. Registering at gamstop.co.uk takes only a few minutes and can cover a period of six months, one year, or five years.
Self-exclusion works best when combined with other support, such as talking to a counsellor or attending a support group. Blocking software such as Gamban can also be installed on your devices to prevent access to gambling websites and apps across multiple platforms.
Keeping Gambling in Perspective
Gambling should never be seen as a way to make money, solve financial problems, or cope with stress or low mood. Outcomes are determined by chance, and no strategy can reliably overcome the built-in house edge over time. Approaching any gambling activity with that understanding helps set realistic expectations and reduces the risk of chasing outcomes that are statistically unlikely.
If you are ever unsure whether your gambling is under control, speaking to one of the organisations listed above is a free and confidential first step.