Put limits in place before play
Decide a fixed entertainment budget that does not touch rent, bills, food, credit or savings. Use the operator's spend and loss controls before opening a game, and set a session reminder or time limit at the same point.
Do not increase the limit to recover a loss. Chasing changes the decision from planned entertainment to an attempt to fix the result of earlier gambling, while the house edge remains.
Warning signs deserve action
- Gambling for longer or spending more than planned.
- Trying to recover losses in the same session or soon afterwards.
- Hiding activity from family, friends or a partner.
- Borrowing, missing bills or selling possessions to gamble.
- Feeling restless, low or angry when unable to play.
- Using gambling to escape worry, loneliness or financial pressure.
One sign is enough to pause. You do not need to wait for a crisis or collect proof that the problem is “serious enough”.
What GAMSTOP does
GAMSTOP is a free self-exclusion scheme for people in Great Britain. Once registered, participating online operators must prevent access for the selected minimum exclusion period. The exclusion cannot be cancelled early, which is why the service asks users to consider the period carefully.
Self-exclusion works best alongside practical barriers: remove gambling apps, unsubscribe from marketing, ask your bank about gambling blocks and tell someone you trust what you have put in place.
If someone else's gambling affects you
Support is available for family members and friends as well as the person gambling. GamCare can discuss boundaries, money protection and the emotional effect on you. You are not responsible for controlling another adult's gambling on your own.
Immediate danger
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E. If you need urgent mental-health support but there is no immediate danger, use NHS 111 online or call 111 and select the mental-health option where available.