Responsible gambling
If gambling is causing you harm, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, free and open 24/7. If you are in urgent distress, call Samaritans on 116 123 or 999 in an emergency. You can block online betting accounts with GAMSTOP, and you must be 18+ to gamble in the UK.
Editorial team of Each-Way Atlas · Checked
Where can you get help today?
| Service | What it offers | Cost and contact |
|---|---|---|
| National Gambling Helpline (GamCare) | Talk, chat or message with trained advisers | Free, 24/7, 0808 8020 133; chat and WhatsApp also offered |
| Samaritans | Urgent emotional support, listed on the GamCare page | 116 123; call 999 in an emergency |
| GAMSTOP | Blocks online gambling accounts with licensed operators | Free, gamstop.co.uk |
| GambleAware | Information and support for people in Great Britain | gambleaware.org |
Sources: GAMSTOP and GambleAware. We read the pages on the date above, and details can change, so confirm them with the service.
The short version: free, confidential help is available at any hour, and you do not need to be sure you have a problem to call.
How do you block online betting accounts?
GAMSTOP is free. You choose six months, one year, five years or five years with automatic renewal, and the block takes effect within 24 hours. It covers online accounts with operators licensed in Great Britain, and you cannot cancel it during the period.
When the period ends, the block stays until you ask GAMSTOP to lift it. Read the meaning of self-exclusion for more.
The short version: GAMSTOP is the free block for online accounts, and it cannot be undone during the period.
What other blocks can you add?
- BetBlocker: free software that blocks gambling sites.
- Gamban: software that is paid after a trial.
- Bank blocks: some banks let you block gambling payments. Ask your bank.
- MOSES for betting shops, SENSE for casinos and BISES for bingo: venue schemes.
Use more than one tool if you want a wider block, because each covers a different route.
The short version: software, bank and venue blocks fill gaps that GAMSTOP does not cover.
What can you set with an operator?
Licensed operators offer deposit limits, time-outs and reality checks. A deposit limit caps what you pay in over a period, and a time-out pauses your account. Set a limit before you bet, not after a loss.
Steps are on how to set a deposit limit or self-exclude, and the meaning is in deposit limit.
The short version: limits are most useful when set before you start.
Questions to ask yourself
These questions are a prompt for reflection, not a test or a diagnosis.
- Am I betting more than I planned to?
- Am I trying to win back money I lost?
- Do I hide how much I bet from people close to me?
- Does betting leave me anxious or low?
If any of these sounds familiar, call the helpline. A conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
The short version: if a question rings true, talk to someone before the next bet.
Age and this page
You must be 18+ to gamble online in the UK. This page carries no advertising and no partner links, and none of our operator pages replace it. We do not link to any site that is not licensed in Great Britain.
Back to Contact if a link here does not work.
Last updated Report an error