Gambling is not a way to earn money or a solution to money problems. The chance of losing is part of every bet, and trying to recover losses can make financial harm worse.
Signs that gambling may be becoming a problem
Look for changes you can observe in your own behaviour. These can include:
- spending more time or money gambling than you intended;
- returning to gambling to try to win back money you have lost;
- hiding gambling or its cost from people close to you;
- borrowing money, selling possessions or missing bills to fund gambling;
- feeling restless or irritable when you try to cut down or stop;
- neglecting work, study, sleep or relationships because of gambling;
- finding that gambling is affecting your mood, even when you are not playing.
You do not need to wait until several signs appear. If gambling is causing harm, take steps to stop access to it and tell someone you trust what is happening.
Steps you can take now
If you are gambling at the moment, close the game and sign out of your account. Do not make another deposit to recover a loss. If you are worried you may return to gambling, use the account controls rather than relying only on willpower.
UK-licensed casinos must provide responsible gambling tools, including self-exclusion. Self-exclusion blocks access to your gambling account for a period selected through the operator’s process. Check the account’s responsible gambling or safer gambling section and follow the instructions to activate it. You can also set or reduce account-level financial limits. Remote gambling operators must make these controls accessible, and must prompt new customers to set a financial limit before their first deposit.
If you cannot find the controls, contact the operator through its account or customer-support channels and ask how to apply a limit or self-exclude. If the operator does not resolve a complaint, UKGC licensees must offer an internal complaints process and access to an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service. The operator should explain how to use these routes.
For help right now, tell a person you trust that you are trying to stop gambling and ask them to stay with you while you close the account or apply the controls. If money is at immediate risk, ask them to help you pause payments or protect access to funds. Do not hand over passwords or banking security details.
No independently verified gambling-support organisation or contact details are available for this page. For that reason, it would be unsafe to give you an unverified phone number, address or website. If you feel at risk of harming yourself or someone else, contact the emergency service in your area now.
Checks and protections
Operators must verify a customer’s age before allowing deposits into a gambling account. The information available for this page does not establish a specific age threshold, so check the operator’s terms and the applicable official rules rather than relying on an assumption.
Some rules limit how gambling products work, but they do not remove the risk of losing money. Online slot autoplay is banned in Britain, and each online slot spin must last at least 2.5 seconds. For online slots, the total stake in a game cycle is capped at £2 for an individual under 25 and £5 for an individual aged 25 or older. At least 2.5 seconds must pass from the start of one game cycle before the next can begin.
Remote gambling operators cannot accept credit-card payments for gambling, including credit-card funds routed through a money service business. They also cannot accept wallet payments where the wallet allows credit-card funds to be used for gambling. These restrictions are not a substitute for setting limits or stopping when gambling is causing harm.
A gambling account can still expose you to financial and personal harm even when an operator follows the rules. If you are unsure whether to continue, stop and use the account controls before placing another bet.