Responsible Gambling

Gambling should be entertainment — not a financial strategy or a way to cope with problems. This page explains the tools available to UK players who need help staying in control.

Need help right now?

The National Gambling Helpline is free, confidential and available 24/7.

Call 0808 8020 133 — Free & Confidential

Warning Signs of Problem Gambling

Problem gambling develops gradually and is often hard to recognise from the inside. You may have a problem if you recognise any of the following behaviours:

Spending more than you can afford to lose
Chasing losses by gambling more to try to win back money
Gambling to escape problems, stress or low mood
Borrowing money or selling possessions to fund gambling
Lying to family or friends about how much you gamble
Missing work, family events or other responsibilities to gamble
Feeling anxious, irritable or restless when trying to stop

Tools UKGC Casinos Must Provide

Every UKGC-licensed casino is legally required to offer certain player protection tools. If a site you use doesn't provide these, contact the UKGC directly.

Deposit limits

Set daily, weekly or monthly caps on how much you can deposit.

Loss limits

Cap how much you can lose in a given period.

Session time limits

Set a maximum session length after which you are automatically logged out.

Reality checks

Pop-up reminders showing how long you have been gambling.

Self-exclusion

Take a break for a defined period — the casino must honour this immediately.

Cool-off periods

Temporarily pause your account without full exclusion.

UK Help Resources

GamStop

FREE

UK-wide self-exclusion scheme. Register once and you are excluded from all UKGC-licensed online gambling sites for 6 months, 1 year or 5 years.

Visit

BeGambleAware

FREE

The UK's leading responsible gambling charity. Free helpline, online chat and tools to help you stay in control or seek treatment.

Visit

GamCare

FREE

Free information, support and counselling for problem gamblers and their families. Runs the National Gambling Helpline.

Visit

Gambling Therapy

FREE

Free online support service available globally, including UK-specific groups and one-to-one therapy sessions.

Visit

How to Self-Exclude with GamStop

1. Go to gamstop.co.uk and click "Get Started".
2. Enter your name, date of birth, email address and UK postcode.
3. Choose your exclusion period: 6 months, 1 year or 5 years.
4. Your exclusion becomes active within 24 hours across all participating UKGC-licensed sites.
5. You cannot shorten the exclusion period once it starts.