What are the signs of gambling addiction, and where can you get free help today? Common signs include chasing losses, betting more than you can afford, hiding or lying about gambling and pulling away from other people. If you recognise them in yourself or someone close to you, the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 offers free and confidential support, including to family and friends.

This guide gives general information and is not medical advice. Details of services were checked on 9 October 2026. It starts with who to contact, then explains the signs, the NHS self-check and the options for treatment and family support.

Free help you can contact today

The National Gambling Helpline is a service of GamCare, which describes it as free support for anyone affected by gambling harms in Great Britain. That includes a friend or family member as well as the person who gambles. Calls are free on 0808 8020 133, and GamCare also offers live chat, WhatsApp and an online community.

Support through the NHS depends on where you live. In England, you can refer yourself to an NHS gambling clinic, or ask a GP about services in your area, the NHS says. Outside England, start with the helpline.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go straight to A&E. If you feel you may be about to harm yourself, the NHS also points to NHS 111 and Samaritans on 116 123.

If youContactHow
want to talk to someone todayNational Gambling HelplineCall 0808 8020 133, or use live chat or WhatsApp
want treatment in EnglandNHS gambling clinicRefer yourself, or ask a GP
are worried about someone closeNational Gambling Helpline or GamFamCall the helpline, or use the GamFam contact form
are in immediate danger999 or A&ECall 999 or go straight to A&E

What are the signs of gambling addiction in your own gambling?

GamCare lists five signs to consider about your own gambling: preoccupation, withdrawal, escape, chasing losses and lying. One sign does not mean someone has an addiction, but several together are a good reason to talk to someone.

  • Preoccupation. Spending much of the day thinking about betting.
  • Withdrawal. Stepping away from social or work situations so that you can place a bet.
  • Escape. Using gambling as a way to cope, which GamCare describes as a sign of harmful gambling.
  • Chasing losses. The motive changes from winning money to winning back money already lost.
  • Lying. Hiding how much you spend, or how long you spend gambling.

The signs are about behaviour, not about how much money is involved.

GamCare notes that gambling is also known as the “hidden addiction” and that the signs are often not clear, so a private check against this list can be useful. One question helps with chasing losses. After a loss, is the next bet about enjoyment, or about getting the money back? The NHS asks about the same thing in its self-check.

Is there a test to check whether gambling is causing you harm?

Yes. The NHS publishes a self-check of nine questions, each scored from 0 (never) to 3 (almost always). A total of 8 or more means harm from gambling is likely, according to the NHS, and a lower score can still matter. The result is a prompt to talk to someone, not a diagnosis.

The questions below are paraphrased. The NHS gambling addiction page has the full wording and the scoring, and it was last reviewed on 8 December 2023.

  • Do you bet more than you can afford to lose?
  • Do you need larger amounts of money to get the same feeling?
  • Have you tried to win back money you have lost?
  • Have you borrowed money or sold anything to gamble?
  • Have you wondered whether gambling is a problem for you?
  • Has gambling caused health problems, including stress or anxiety?
  • Have other people criticised your betting?
  • Has gambling caused financial problems for you or your household?
  • Have you felt guilty about the way you gamble?

The NHS says a total score of 8 or higher means you, or those closest to you, are “likely to be experiencing gambling-related harms”. For a score of 1 to 7, gambling “might still be having a negative impact on your life”. Any score above 0 is a reason to talk to the helpline or a GP.

The Gambling Commission uses a nine-item scale called the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) in its Gambling Survey for Great Britain, rated on a four-point scale. In 2025, 2.4% of adults surveyed scored 8 or more, according to the annual report published on 16 July 2026. The NHS page does not name its self-check as the PGSI, so the two scores should not be compared.

Signs that someone close to you is being harmed by gambling

GamCare also lists five signs to look out for when you are concerned about someone else. Several of them are easy to miss.

  • Withdrawn. Staying at home more, losing interest in usual activities or checking a phone constantly for results.
  • Changing mood. Noticeable changes in mood and behaviour, such as seeming worried, agitated or upset for no clear reason.
  • Sleeping problems. Poor sleep linked to anxiety or constant worry.
  • Financial signs. Money going missing from bank accounts, regularly running short of money or having to borrow.
  • Lying. Being untruthful about what they are doing with their time, or asking for money to cover bills.

Many of these signs have other causes. Work, health and relationships can all disturb sleep and mood. No single sign shows that gambling is the reason, so the aim is a conversation rather than an accusation.

How to support someone close to you, and where family can get help

Start with the helpline. GamCare says its support is available whether you are looking for help for yourself, a friend or a family member, so a relative does not need to wait until the person who gambles is ready to call.

Choose a calm moment, describe what you have noticed without blame and have the helpline number ready. Offering a number is a concrete step.

The NHS names several services for people affected by someone else’s gambling. They are GamAnon meetings, GamFam, Gambling with Lives and NHS gambling treatment clinics, which it says can support family or friends. Gambling with Lives supports people bereaved by gambling-related suicide.

  • GamFam is a registered charity set up by people who experienced the effects of gambling on family and friends first-hand. It runs a structured five-stage peer support programme called GRA5P, online groups on Zoom led by trained facilitators, usually with six to 10 people, and one-to-one peer support. Contact is through a form on its website, and the site does not state a price.
  • Gordon Moody’s friends and family service offers online weekly meetings, weekly support groups or one-to-one support, a space to discuss how to look after yourself, discussion of managing finances and support before and after treatment. The page does not state a price.

Household money is a common worry. The NHS lists Citizens Advice among the charities that can advise on finances and gambling. Many banks allow customers to block gambling payments from their own account, which is covered in the guide on how to block gambling payments with your bank.

Treatment and longer-term support

The way gambling treatment is arranged has changed recently. NHS England says that from 1 April 2026 it took commissioning responsibility for the treatment of gambling-related harms in England, funded by the new statutory levy on gambling operators. Commissioning means planning, buying and monitoring services. The page adds that integrated care boards are expected to lead commissioning for services provided after 1 April 2027. GambleAware has said its work has transitioned to the new treatment, prevention and research commissioners.

The routes below suit different situations.

  • NHS gambling clinics in England. The NHS describes teams of psychiatrists and psychologists who treat people when gambling is causing problems, support recovery and provide therapy for related complex health needs. You can refer yourself or ask a GP.
  • Gordon Moody. Gordon Moody offers advice, counselling, online support or a structured residential treatment course. People can apply through an online form, use the self-assessment on the website or be referred by a care provider. The telephone number is 01384 241292. The website does not state prices or eligibility, so ask when you make contact.
  • Peer support groups. The NHS lists Gamblers Anonymous, a local support group service that uses a 12-step approach, and GamAnon meetings for people affected by someone else’s gambling.
  • A GP. In England, a GP can talk through what is available locally.

Blocking, self-exclusion and timeouts

Some people want practical barriers as well as conversation. Gamstop lets anyone living in the UK exclude themselves from online gambling sites and apps licensed in Great Britain, and the guide on how Gamstop self-exclusion works and how long it lasts has the details. Many banks also allow you to block gambling payments from your account, as noted above.

Most online operators licensed in Great Britain must offer a timeout facility. Under social responsibility code 3.3.4 in the commission’s licence conditions and codes of practice, a timeout can last 24 hours, one week, one month or another period the customer reasonably requests, up to six weeks. These tools reduce access. They do not treat harm.

The gambling support section has more on Gamstop, blocking tools and free support in Great Britain.

Which service to contact for which situation

To talk today, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, for yourself or for someone else.

For treatment in England, refer yourself to an NHS gambling clinic or ask a GP. Elsewhere in Great Britain, start with the helpline. Gordon Moody offers counselling and residential treatment.

For family and friends, the helpline, GamFam, Gordon Moody’s friends and family service and GamAnon each offer a different kind of support.

If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999 or go straight to A&E.

Questions people ask about signs of gambling harm

What are the most common signs of gambling addiction?

GamCare lists preoccupation, withdrawal, escape, chasing losses and lying. The NHS self-check adds borrowing money, health problems, criticism from others and guilt. Signs differ from person to person, and one sign alone does not show an addiction. If several fit, talk to the helpline or a GP.

What does ‘chasing losses’ mean?

GamCare describes chasing losses as the point where the motive changes from winning money to winning back money already lost. The NHS includes it as a self-check question. If the next bet is about recovering a loss rather than enjoyment, that is worth raising with someone.

Is the National Gambling Helpline free, and can family members call it?

Calls to the helpline on 0808 8020 133 are free. GamCare says its support is available for yourself, a friend or a family member. It also offers live chat, WhatsApp and an online community, though its page does not say whether those channels are free.

Can you refer yourself to an NHS gambling clinic?

In England, yes. The NHS says you can refer yourself to a gambling clinic near you, or ask a GP about services in your area. The page does not set out a minimum age or other conditions. Outside England, the helpline is the place to start.

How can you help someone whose gambling worries you?

Call the helpline, which also supports friends and family. Then raise your concern calmly, describe what you have noticed without blame and offer the number. GamFam, Gordon Moody’s friends and family service and GamAnon meetings offer support to people affected by someone else’s gambling.

Is GambleAware still running?

GambleAware has said its work has transitioned to the new treatment, prevention and research commissioners. From 1 April 2026, NHS England commissions treatment of gambling-related harms in England. For help today, the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 is the number to use.

Sources

All pages were read on 9 October 2026.