Chasing losses, borrowing to gamble, spending money needed for bills or feeling anxious about gambling are reasons to seek support. You do not need to wait for a larger loss.
Find gambling support · Self-exclude or take a break · Understand account limits
Gambling Support by Country
Choose a service for your location. The numbers below are regional contact routes; access and call charges can differ when calling from another country.
| Location | Service and contact | Support available |
|---|---|---|
| Great Britain | GamCare — 0808 8020 133 | Free gambling support through the National Gambling Helpline and live chat, 24/7 |
| United States and U.S. territories | National Council on Problem Gambling — 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738) | Call, text or online chat, 24/7; support, information and local referrals. No payment or insurance information is required; text and data charges may apply |
| Ontario, Canada | ConnexOntario — 1-866-531-2600 | Free information and referrals for gambling concerns, 24/7 |
| Australia | Gambling Help Online — 1800 858 858 | Free gambling support by phone and online, 24/7 |
| International online support | Gambling Therapy, provided by Gordon Moody | Free practical advice and emotional support through a global online service; multilingual, text-based support |
Support details were checked on 6 October 2026. Gambling Therapy is an online support option, not an international telephone helpline.
These services also help people affected by someone else’s gambling. You can seek support for yourself even if the person gambling is not ready to do so.
If you are in immediate danger or may harm yourself, contact your local emergency service now. Gambling support and referral services do not replace emergency help.
Self-Exclude or Take a Break
A time-out temporarily pauses access for the period offered by your gambling service. Self-exclusion is intended for a longer break and applies to the accounts or businesses covered by the arrangement. If you keep gambling beyond limits you set, ask about self-exclusion rather than repeatedly increasing those limits.
- Open the service’s safer gambling or responsible gambling section. If the option is missing or unclear, contact its support team and ask to self-exclude.
- Ask which accounts, brands, websites or venues are covered, the minimum exclusion period and when it starts. Save the confirmation.
- Include other places where you gamble. An exclusion at one service does not automatically cover every other service.
GAMSTOP Online registration is available to United Kingdom residents, including Northern Ireland. It covers online gambling companies licensed in Great Britain. Keep your registration details accurate and follow the scheme’s confirmation instructions; its coverage does not extend to every gambling website worldwide.
For other countries, ask your local gambling regulator or support service about multi-operator schemes. GamCare’s self-exclusion guidance also explains how to request exclusion from an individual gambling service.
Raise any question about remaining account funds or a withdrawal with the same gambling service while arranging the restriction.
Block Payments and Access
Ask your bank whether it offers a gambling-payment block and which payments it covers. Use it alongside account restrictions: a payment block and a gambling-account exclusion operate in different places.
Blocking software restricts access on the devices where it is installed. BetBlocker is a free option; GamCare’s blocking-software information explains other tools. Check every device you use for gambling, since installing a block on one does not protect the others.
Combine these barriers with advice and support. Pay essential bills before setting aside any money for gambling. If bills or repayments are already difficult, ask a support service about local debt advice and speak to someone you trust about what is happening.
What Account Limits Actually Restrict
If you choose to gamble, only use money you can afford to lose after essential expenses. Set limits before depositing or betting. The gambling service’s account settings determine which controls are available, the period they cover and whether they apply to one product or the whole account.
| Financial control | What it restricts | Why the distinction matters |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit limit | Money paid into the account over a defined period | It does not directly cap the total value of bets placed using an existing balance or returned funds |
| Stake or wagering limit, where offered | Total stakes placed over the limit’s period | It counts betting turnover, including money staked again after a return |
| Loss limit, where offered | Stakes minus winnings or returns, using the service’s defined period and rules | It measures net loss rather than total stakes or deposits |
Read the actual definition before choosing a control labelled “spend” or “net deposit”: withdrawals may be part of its calculation. Check when the limit becomes active and when its period resets.
A reality check is a reminder about time spent gambling. A session-duration restriction, where offered, is a separate control. A reminder is not a substitute for self-exclusion if you want to stop access.
The Full Ice Fishing Stake
The chip you select is not always the round’s full cost. Ice Fishing’s TOTAL BET adds the stakes across the betting fields. All Bonuses places the selected amount on each of the three fish bonus fields. With enough balance and room within the field limits, Double doubles all placed stakes.
For example, one All Bonuses placement with a €1 chip totals €3, with no other stakes. Doubling that layout raises the total to €6. Five accepted €3 layouts would therefore mean €15 staked. This is betting turnover, not a €15 deposit or an automatic €15 net loss: any returns must be included when calculating the net result.
A game’s maximum bet is a per-bet or per-round rule, not a personal spending limit. If continuing requires money meant for bills, borrowing or another attempt to win back losses, stop and use the support options above.
Adults only · Responsible gambling