Gambling should be entertainment, not a way to make money or to solve money problems. At BonusOut we believe that knowing how gambling can go wrong, and what protections exist, helps you stay in control.

This page covers ways to gamble at lower risk, signs of gambling harm, the tools available in Great Britain and where to find free support. Online casino games, betting and bingo are for people aged 18 or over, and the Gambling Act 2005 makes it an offence to invite, cause or permit a child or young person to gamble.

If gambling is affecting you or someone close to you right now, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. The call is free, and you can also use live chat or WhatsApp (GamCare).

Ways to gamble at lower risk

No approach removes the risk of harm completely, but these habits lower it:

  • Spend only money you can afford to lose – never money set aside for rent, bills or loan repayments.
  • Set a budget and a time limit before you start – and keep to both, even on days when you are winning.
  • Do not chase your losses – chasing is how a small loss becomes a large one.
  • Avoid gambling when you are stressed or upset, or after drinking – decisions made in that state tend to be worse.
  • Treat gambling as entertainment that you pay for – not as income, and not as a way out of debt.

When gambling starts to cause harm

Gambling harm is any negative effect that gambling has on your life, health or finances, or on the people close to you. It often builds gradually, and others may notice it before you do. It may be time to talk to someone if you see any of these in yourself or in someone close to you:

  • spending more money or time on gambling than you intended,
  • chasing losses to try to win money back,
  • borrowing money, or using money meant for essentials, to gamble,
  • hiding gambling from others or lying about it,
  • feeling anxious, irritable or guilty about gambling.

One sign is reason enough to talk to someone. Our guide to the signs of gambling harm explains them in more detail.

Tools that help you stay in control

Limits, timeouts and reality checks

Online operators licensed by the Gambling Commission must prompt customers to set a financial limit before their first deposit, and must lower a limit immediately when you ask (Gambling Commission). They must also offer a timeout, and online casino and bingo operators must let you set reality checks, which show how long you have been playing. Credit card payments for gambling have been banned since 14 April 2020. Set your limits before you start, not after a bad run. Our guide to affordability checks, deposit limits and payment rules explains more.

Gamstop, the online self-exclusion scheme

Gamstop lets you block yourself from gambling with all online gambling companies licensed in Great Britain, and anyone living in the UK, including Northern Ireland, can register. Taking part has been a condition of a Gambling Commission licence for online operators since 31 March 2020.

You choose a block of six months, one year, five years or five years with auto-renewal, and you cannot cancel it during that time. When it ends, your exclusion stays in place unless you contact Gamstop to remove it (Gamstop). Our guide explains how long Gamstop lasts and what happens when it ends.

Other self-exclusion schemes

Gamstop covers online gambling only. For gambling in person, the commission lists free schemes:

  • Gamstop Betting Shops – betting shops.
  • SENSE – licensed land-based casinos.
  • The Bingo Association scheme – licensed bingo premises.
  • BACTA and SmartEXCLUSION – arcades, adult gaming centres, motorway service areas and holiday parks.

Blocking gambling payments and apps

Many banks let you block gambling payments on your account or debit card, including Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, Monzo, NatWest, Santander and Starling (Gambling Commission). Some add a cooling-off period before a block is lifted. Blocking software such as Gamban can also stop gambling websites and apps on your devices. Our guide to blocking gambling payments with your bank and on your devices goes through the options.

Sites without a Gambling Commission licence

Limits, timeouts and taking part in Gamstop are conditions of a Gambling Commission licence, so a site without one may offer none of them. The commission says an unlicensed operator is “unlikely to operate in a way that is fair or safe” (Gambling Commission). Because online operators with a licence must take part in Gamstop, a site that calls itself “not on Gamstop” does not appear to hold one.

Before you gamble, check the commission’s public register. Licensed businesses must display that they are licensed and link to it. Our guides cover how to check if a casino is licensed, unlicensed casinos and gambling scams and online casinos licensed by the Gambling Commission.

The commission regulates gambling in Great Britain. In Northern Ireland, gambling is a devolved matter, so some rules here may not apply in the same way. Our guide to UK gambling law explains who regulates what.

Where to get help

You do not have to be sure that gambling is a problem before you ask for help:

  • National Gambling Helpline – 0808 8020 133, free. Run by GamCare, with support by phone, live chat or WhatsApp (gamcare.org.uk).
  • NHS gambling clinics – in England you can self-refer to a specialist clinic (NHS).
  • GamFam – support for family members and friends affected by someone else’s gambling (gamfam.org.uk).
  • Your GP – can talk through your options and point you to services in your area.

This page gives general information and is not medical, legal or financial advice. For more on Gamstop, bank blocks and supporting someone else, see our gambling support section.

What we do and do not do on this website

We want this website to be safe for people who find gambling hard to control. We hold ourselves to these rules:

  • We do not present gambling as a way to make money, and we do not promise returns.
  • We do not promote operators without a Gambling Commission licence, including sites that call themselves “not on Gamstop”.
  • We do not explain how to get round Gamstop, bank blocks, identity checks or limits.
  • We give the helpline number in the text of our guides on gambling harm, not only in the footer.

If you think we have fallen short of any of these, tell us at info@bonusout-uk.com.

18+ Gambling can be addictive and can cause harm. For free support, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.

Last updated: 9 October 2026