National Gambling Helpline: free 24/7 help and treatment
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The National Gambling Helpline is free and open 24 hours a day. Call 0808 8020 133 in England and Scotland or 0808 2819 265 in Wales. NHS gambling clinics in England take self-referrals, and Gamblers Anonymous runs meetings. For distress, Samaritans is free on 116 123.
The National Gambling Helpline is a free service that you can call at any time, day or night. Friends and family can use it too, and you do not have to be sure you have a problem to ring.
How to contact the National Gambling Helpline
- England and Scotland: call 0808 8020 133.
- Wales: call 0808 2819 265.
- Cost and hours: free, 24 hours a day, every day.
- Chat and WhatsApp: also available, through GamCare, which runs the service.
Expect information, support and counselling about gambling harm, and a place to talk through what is happening and what could help. You can call about your own gambling or someone else’s, and the adviser can point you to other support, such as treatment and groups.
NHS gambling treatment and other support
Gambling treatment is available on the NHS in England, and you can ask for help at any stage. You can contact an NHS gambling clinic yourself or ask your GP, and the specialist teams include psychiatrists and psychologists. Clinics also support family and friends. The services listed by the NHS include the National Problem Gambling Clinic, plus Northern, Southern, West Midlands, East Midlands, East of England and South West clinics.
Gamblers Anonymous runs peer meetings across England, Wales and Ulster, and GamAnon meetings are listed for families. If you live outside England, the helpline can point you to options near you.
If you are in distress
If you feel low or unsafe, Samaritans is free on 116 123 at any time. Combine support with practical protection such as GAMSTOP and a bank gambling block, and do not wait until things feel bad enough, because asking early is easier than asking late.