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Responsible gambling

Gambling should be entertainment you can afford, and nothing more. This page explains the controls available to you in the UK and where to get free, confidential help today.

Need help right now? The National Gambling Helpline is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day, every day: 0808 8020 133. You do not need to be in crisis to call.

Stay in control

Six controls worth setting today

Every operator licensed by the Gambling Commission must offer all of these. We count how many clicks each one takes when we score a brand.

Deposit limits

Cap what you can put in per day, week or month. Increases only take effect after a cooling-off period, so the limit protects you in the moment it matters.

Loss limits

Set a ceiling on net losses over a period. When it is reached, further staking is blocked until the window resets.

Reality checks

An on-screen reminder at an interval you choose showing how long you have been active and how much you are up or down.

Time-out

A short break of 24 hours up to six weeks. Your account is locked and marketing stops immediately.

Self-exclusion

A longer block of six months or more with a single operator. It cannot be lifted early, even if you ask.

GAMSTOP

One free registration blocks you from every operator licensed in Great Britain for six months, one year or five years.

Warning signs

When it has stopped being entertainment

None of these makes you a problem gambler on its own. Several together are worth taking seriously.

Staking more than you planned, or more than you can comfortably lose
Chasing losses in the hope of getting back to even
Borrowing money, or using money meant for bills, to fund a deposit
Hiding how much you gamble from family, a partner or friends

Feeling restless, low or irritable when you try to cut down
Gambling to escape stress, boredom, loneliness or low mood
Missing work, sleep or commitments because of it
Feeling relief rather than enjoyment when a session ends

If any of this sounds familiar, a free confidential conversation on 0808 8020 133 is a sensible first step. Support is available whether or not you want to stop completely.

Free UK support

Independent organisations that can help

None of these organisations pays us and we receive nothing for listing them.

Gamblers Anonymous

A fellowship of people who share their experience to help each other recover. Free peer support meetings run in person and online across the UK, with no membership fee and no referral needed.

gamblersanonymous.org.uk

GAMSTOP UK

The free national self-exclusion scheme. One registration blocks you from every operator licensed by the Gambling Commission for six months, one year or five years. It cannot be reversed early.

gamstop.co.uk

BeGambleAware

Independent advice, self-assessment tools and a route into free treatment through the National Gambling Support Network. Also supports friends and family affected by someone else's gambling.

begambleaware.org

Bank card gambling blocks

Most UK banks and building societies let you switch on a gambling block for your debit card inside the mobile banking app. Many apply a cooling-off period of 24 to 48 hours before it can be turned off again.

Blocking software

Tools such as Gamban and BetBlocker install across your phone, tablet and computer to block gambling content at device level. Used alongside GAMSTOP and a bank block, they form a far stronger barrier than any one control alone.

Decide the amount before you start

Choose what you can afford to lose entirely, set it as a deposit limit, and treat it as the price of the entertainment rather than an investment.

Never gamble with borrowed money

Credit cards cannot be used for gambling in Great Britain. If you are reaching for an overdraft, a loan or money set aside for bills, stop and call the helpline.

Accept that losses are the expected outcome

Every casino product carries a mathematical house edge. Chasing a loss increases the amount at risk; it does not improve the odds.

Keep it in its place

Do not gamble while stressed, low, or under the influence, and never let it displace work, sleep or the people around you.

Under 18? This website is not for you

It is illegal to gamble in the UK under the age of 18, and every licensed operator must verify your age before you can deposit. Parents can restrict gambling content with free filtering software such as Net Nanny or Qustodio.

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