Taking action in a gambling crisis: 4 steps that protect you right now

When gambling has caused urgent harm — money gone, relationships breaking, thoughts you cannot ignore — you need immediate action, not a long-term plan. RBLWS exists to help people affected by gambling harm find practical steps they can take today. This page walks you through four things you can do right now to make yourself or someone you care about safer, followed by the support available across the UK for veterans and their families.

Recognising when gambling harm has become a crisis

A crisis means the harm cannot wait. Money needed for essentials has been gambled. A relationship is at breaking point. Someone is talking about self-harm or has already hurt themselves. Debts have mounted to the point where threats are being made.

You might be the person who has gambled, or you might be supporting someone else. Either way, the situation feels urgent because it is. Shame and fear make it harder to act, but waiting will not improve things.

What counts as urgent

Urgent means any of these apply. Immediate risk to safety — your own or someone else's. No money left for food, heating or medication. Threats from lenders or collectors. A relationship ending because of gambling. Suicidal thoughts or plans.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 999. If you are having thoughts of suicide, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or contact Samaritans on 116 123.

Cutting off access to gambling sites immediately

The first step in a crisis is to stop further harm. That means blocking access to every site you can gamble on. GAMSTOP is a free national self-exclusion scheme that blocks access to all gambling sites licensed in Great Britain.

Register at www.gamstop.co.uk. You choose how long — six months, one year or five years. Once registered, you cannot reverse it during that period. That inflexibility is the point: it removes the option when urges are strongest.

Blocking software for devices

GAMSTOP covers licensed sites. Blocking software covers everything else. Gamban (gamban.com) is a paid subscription service that works across phones, tablets and computers. BetBlocker (betblocker.org) is free and works on multiple platforms.

Install one or both on every device in the home. If someone else in the household can manage the settings, hand that control over. You want barriers between you and the ability to gamble, especially in the hours when willpower is lowest.

Protecting money from further gambling

In a crisis, gambling will take whatever money it can reach. Move control of money to someone you trust — a partner, family member or friend — even if it feels like losing independence. Independence without safety achieves nothing.

Close online banking access on your phone. Cancel cards linked to gambling accounts. Set up a separate bank account for essentials, with a trusted person as the primary account holder. You keep access to enough for daily needs; they control larger sums and any savings.

Speaking to the bank

Tell your bank you need help with gambling harm. Many banks will block transactions to gambling sites if you ask. Some will put a note on your account so that applications for credit are declined. This is not about punishment; it is about putting obstacles in place when thinking clearly is hardest.

If you have already gambled money set aside for bills, contact the companies you owe. Explain the situation plainly. Most will offer a payment plan or a temporary freeze. Avoiding them makes the situation worse.

Making contact with specialist support today

You do not need to face this alone, and you do not need a plan before you ask for help. Specialist organisations understand gambling harm and will not judge you for how bad things have become.

1. Call the National Gambling Helpline. The number is 0808 8020 133. It is free, confidential and open every hour of the day. The people who answer are trained in gambling harm and will listen without judgment. They can talk you through immediate steps and connect you to other services.
2. Contact GamCare. Visit www.gamcare.org.uk or call the helpline. GamCare offers one-to-one support, group sessions and online forums. If you are a veteran or supporting one, tell them — some services are tailored to military experience.
3. Reach out to Gordon Moody. Gordon Moody (www.gordonmoody.org.uk) provides residential treatment and online support. Residential programmes give you space away from the environment where gambling has taken hold. Online support works if you cannot leave home.
4. Speak to your GP. Gambling harm affects your mental and physical health. Your GP can refer you to NHS services, including talking therapies. Some areas have specialist gambling clinics. Be direct about what has happened; they have heard worse and their job is to help.

Telling someone close to you what has happened

Secrecy keeps gambling harm alive. Telling one person breaks that secrecy and makes the situation real in a way that helps you act. Choose someone who will not lecture or take over, but who will stay with you through what comes next.

You do not need to explain everything at once. Start with the immediate harm — the money, the debts, the danger. Let the rest come later. If you are worried about their reaction, write it down first or ask them to read this page with you.

What to ask for from the person you tell

Be specific about what you need. That might be help managing money, someone to talk to when urges are strong, or company while you make difficult phone calls. It might simply be someone who knows, so you are not carrying it alone.

If the person you tell is also affected by your gambling — a partner, parent or sibling — acknowledge that harm plainly. You cannot undo what has happened, but you can stop it continuing. That is where trust begins to rebuild.

Understanding what happens next

A crisis is not the end of the situation; it is the start of recovery. The steps above make you safer in the short term. What follows is longer work: understanding what drove the gambling, rebuilding trust, dealing with debts and learning to manage urges.

That work does not need to start today. Today is about safety. Tomorrow is about one small step forward. Recovery is not linear and setbacks happen, but each action you take now reduces the harm and gives you more control.

Linking immediate action to longer-term recovery

Once the immediate crisis is contained, the focus shifts. Managing gambling urges becomes part of daily life. Counselling helps you understand the patterns behind the gambling. If debts are overwhelming, facing gambling debts step by step gives you a way through.

If you are supporting someone else, supporting a partner through gambling harm offers guidance on protecting yourself while helping them.

Where to find help that understands military service

Veterans and their families face particular pressures that can drive gambling harm. Transition to civilian life, trauma, isolation and a culture that values self-reliance can all make it harder to ask for help.

GamCare offers support at www.gamcare.org.uk, with a helpline on 0808 8020 133 that is free and open around the clock. BeGambleAware provides information and guidance at www.begambleaware.org. Gordon Moody offers residential and online treatment through www.gordonmoody.org.uk.

GAMSTOP, available at www.gamstop.co.uk, allows you to self-exclude from all licensed gambling sites across Great Britain at once. Blocking software such as Gamban and BetBlocker adds another layer of protection across all your devices.

Gambling is restricted to people aged 18+. If you share devices with anyone younger, parental-control software such as Net Nanny or Qustodio blocks access to gambling content.

Taking the first step this week

Crisis feels paralysing, but one action breaks that paralysis. You do not need to solve everything today. You need to take one step that makes tomorrow safer than today.

Register with GAMSTOP. Install blocking software. Tell one person. Call the helpline. Any of those actions reduces harm. Pick one and do it before the day ends. Everything else can follow.

Disclaimer: This article is for information only. RBLWS is not a counselling service, treatment provider or organiser of gambling. If you or someone you support is affected by gambling harm, contact specialist services such as GamCare or the National Gambling Helpline. Gambling is restricted to those aged 18 and over. Free, confidential support is available at BeGambleAware.org.

#GAMSTOP #Self-exclusion #Debt

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