Gambling can be an enjoyable pastime, but it carries real risks. Understanding those risks and knowing how to manage your play helps keep gambling from becoming harmful. The information on this page is general guidance applicable to any player, regardless of which site or service they use.
Recognising Problem Gambling
Problem gambling is not simply about how much money is spent. It is characterised by a loss of control over gambling behaviour, even when that behaviour is causing harm. Some common warning signs include:
- Spending more time or money gambling than you intended
- Chasing losses — continuing to gamble in order to win back money already lost
- Borrowing money or selling belongings to fund gambling
- Neglecting work, family, or social commitments because of gambling
- Feeling anxious, irritable, or restless when not gambling
- Hiding gambling activity from friends or family
Recognising these signs in yourself or someone close to you is the first step toward addressing the problem. Problem gambling can affect people of any background, income level, or experience with gambling.
Practical Steps to Stay in Control
Responsible gambling begins with intentional habits. Setting clear limits before you start — on time spent, money deposited, and losses accepted — helps separate gambling as entertainment from gambling as a compulsion. Treating the money you gamble with as the cost of entertainment, rather than as a potential income source, is a useful mental framework.
Keeping a record of your gambling activity, including wins and losses over time, often reveals patterns that are easy to miss in the moment. Taking regular breaks during sessions and avoiding gambling when you are stressed, tired, or under the influence of alcohol can also reduce the risk of impulsive decisions.
If you find it difficult to stick to limits you have set for yourself, self-exclusion schemes allow you to block access to gambling services for a defined period. Registering with GAMSTOP lets you exclude yourself from all participating sites at once.
Support Organisations
Free, confidential help is available if gambling is affecting your life or the life of someone you care about.
- Helpline: 0808 8020 133 (free, 24 hours). Website: gamcare.org.uk
- Gamblers Anonymous — Peer-support meetings for people who want to stop gambling. Website: gamblersanonymous.org.uk
- GamAnon — Support specifically for friends and family members of people with gambling problems. Website: gamanon.org.uk
- BeGambleAware — Information, advice, and access to treatment services. Website: begambleaware.org
- Gambling Therapy — Free online support available internationally. Website: gamblingtherapy.org
If you are outside Great Britain, national equivalents may exist. Contacting a local mental health helpline or searching for a national responsible gambling authority in your country is a practical starting point.
Keeping Gambling in Perspective
No gambling outcome is ever guaranteed, and no strategy eliminates the house edge built into games. Viewing gambling as entertainment with a cost — rather than as a way to make money — is a realistic and healthier approach.