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Responsible gambling

Betting should be something you can stop at any time. If it doesn’t feel like that, free help is available today.

Talk to someone now

The National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare, is free and confidential and open 24 hours a day, every day. Call 0808 8020 133, or use web chat on the GamCare website. You don’t need to give your name.

Block gambling sites and apps

• GAMSTOP is a free scheme that blocks you from online gambling sites and apps licensed in Great Britain, for six months, a year or five years.
• Most UK banks let you block gambling payments on your card in their app.
• Betting shops and racecourses run their own self-exclusion schemes; ask staff.

Signs it may be time to stop

• You bet more than you planned, or more than you can afford to lose.
• You chase losses by betting again to win the money back.
• You borrow money or miss bills because of betting.
• You feel anxious or low about gambling, or hide it from people close to you.

If you keep betting

• Set a deposit limit with your bookmaker before you start. Licensed operators have to offer one.
• Decide on a budget for the day and treat it as the cost of entertainment.
• Don’t bet when you are upset, drunk or trying to fix money problems.

Under 18

It is illegal to gamble under 18 in the UK, except for a few low-stakes products. This site is for adults only.

Source: GamCare: National Gambling Helpline, free and open 24 hours.