Facing gambling debts: 4 steps you can take this week

Gambling debts grow quickly because the urge to win back what you lost pushes you to stake more. The first useful action is to stop new losses from piling up, then deal with what you already owe. Veterans and their families searching for gambling debt help need a route that stops the spiral before it pulls everything down. This guide walks through immediate steps, how to talk about money with people who need to know, and where to turn when you cannot see a way forward. RBLWS brings together practical information for service members, veterans and their families dealing with gambling harm.

Stop new debts from forming

The debt you already have will not shrink while you are still gambling. Blocking access to gambling sites cuts off the route to new losses. Self-exclusion through GAMSTOP closes your accounts at every gambling site licensed in Great Britain at once. Once you register, the block lasts a minimum period you choose — six months, one year or five years — and cannot be undone early.

Blocking software works across devices and browsers. Gamban is a paid subscription service that prevents gambling sites from loading. BetBlocker is free and covers computers, tablets and phones. Both run in the background without needing you to remember to switch them on. Install one on every device you use, including your phone.

Cancel any stored payment details on gambling accounts before you close them. Delete gambling apps. If you kept a separate card for gambling, cut it up or ask your bank to cancel it. Each barrier between you and a bet buys time for the urge to pass.

Steps to manage what you owe

Facing the full amount can feel paralysing, but ignoring it lets interest and charges grow. Working through these steps in order gives you a plan that fits what you actually have.

1. List every debt — write down who you owe, how much, the interest rate and the minimum payment. Include credit cards, loans, overdrafts, money owed to friends or family, and any arrears on bills.
2. Work out what you have coming in — your pay, benefits, pension and any other income that reaches you each month.
3. Write down essential spending — rent or mortgage, council tax, energy, water, food, travel to work and any costs you cannot avoid. What is left after these is what you can use to pay debts or save.
4. Contact lenders before you miss payments — tell them you are struggling and ask about payment plans, reduced payments or a freeze on interest. Most will negotiate rather than push you into default.
5. Prioritise debts that cost you your home or liberty — rent, mortgage, council tax and court fines come first. Unsecured debts such as credit cards and personal loans come after.
6. Get free debt advice — StepChange, National Debtline and Citizens Advice offer confidential help with budgets, negotiating with creditors and formal debt solutions when you cannot pay what you owe.

A debt management plan pools your debts into one monthly payment and spreads it across your creditors. An Individual Voluntary Arrangement writes off part of what you owe in exchange for affordable payments over a fixed period. Both options stop creditors chasing you and give you breathing space.

Protecting your family's money

Gambling debts affect everyone who shares bills and rent with you. If you have joint accounts or a shared credit card, your partner or family members carry the debt too. Separating your finances stops gambling losses from draining money meant for children, food or the mortgage.

Open a basic bank account in your name only, with no overdraft and no credit. Ask your employer to pay your wages into it. If you share a joint account, talk to your bank about removing your access or switching to an account that needs two signatures for withdrawals. Your partner or family member can then manage essential bills without you being able to reach that money during an urge.

Be honest about what happened. Hiding debts or pretending everything is fine while bills go unpaid damages trust more than the money itself. If talking feels impossible, write it down or ask someone you trust to be there when you explain. Veterans UK offers financial advice for service members and families, and some units have welfare officers who can help without judgment.

Why the urge to chase losses is a trap

The belief that one more bet will fix everything is the mechanism that turns a bad day into a financial crisis. Gambling debts do not shrink through gambling — the house edge and the odds mean losses grow faster than wins over time. Chasing what you lost keeps you in the cycle.

Triggers for gambling vary, but common ones include boredom, stress, isolation, anger and the need to feel something other than numb. For veterans, trauma and hypervigilance can make the adrenaline of a bet feel like relief. Recognising your own triggers lets you plan around them. If evenings alone are when you gamble, fill that time with something that keeps your hands and mind occupied — exercise, a course, volunteering or time with people who know not to suggest a casino.

Urges peak and pass. They feel overwhelming, but they do not last. Delaying a bet by ten minutes, then another ten, then another, often means the urge fades before you act on it. Keep a list of things you can do in that ten minutes — call someone, go outside, make tea, watch something.

Comparing ways to block gambling

Each method works differently. GAMSTOP closes accounts you already have and stops you opening new ones at licensed sites. Blocking software prevents gambling pages from loading, whether you have an account or not. A bank block stops payments leaving your account, even if the site itself still loads. Using all three together removes more routes to a bet than any one on its own.

When debts feel unmanageable

Debt that feels impossible to clear can lead to despair. Suicidal thoughts connected to gambling harm are not rare, and they are not something you should face alone. If you are thinking about ending your life, call 999 or go to A&E. The Samaritans are available any time on 116 123, and the line is free and confidential.

Debt does not follow you beyond bankruptcy or a formal insolvency arrangement. These options exist because the law recognises that sometimes debts grow beyond what a person can repay. They have consequences — your credit rating drops, and some jobs and roles have restrictions — but they also write off what you cannot pay and let you start again. Free debt advice services will tell you whether you qualify and what the real impact would be for you.

Veterans who have served often carry a sense that asking for help is weak. It is not. Recognising you need support and taking the step to get it is harder than pretending you have it under control. Combat stress, trauma and the transition to civilian life all make gambling harm more likely, and none of that is your fault. What you do next is what matters.

Where to get help with gambling and money

GamCare offers confidential support for anyone affected by gambling harm, including veterans and their families. You can call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 any time, day or night, or use the live chat and forums at gamcare.org.uk. The service is free and you do not have to give your name.

BeGambleAware provides information about treatment options, self-help tools and where to find local support at begambleaware.org. Gordon Moody runs residential and online treatment programmes for people whose gambling has caused serious harm, available at gordonmoody.org.uk.

For debt advice, StepChange offers free debt management plans and budgeting tools. National Debtline and Citizens Advice both give confidential guidance on dealing with creditors and choosing the right debt solution. All three services understand gambling-related debt and will not judge you for how it happened.

You can also read more about how self-exclusion works and the different ways it helps you regain control, or find out which blocking tools work across every device to prevent access to gambling sites.

Gambling is restricted to people aged 18 and over. If someone close to you is gambling underat, contact one of the organisations above for guidance on how to protect them.

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Download PDF: Your gambling debt action plan PDF, 30 KB