ClearPoint

Responsible gambling

Gambling is entertainment with a price tag. Here is how to keep it that way, and where to turn if it stops being fun.

Free, confidential help right now

  • GamCareNational Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133, free from any UK phone, 24 hours a day, every day. Live chat at gamcare.org.uk.
  • GamStopFree self-exclusion from every online gambling site licensed in Great Britain for six months, one year or five years. Register at gamstop.co.uk.
  • GambleAwareAdvice, a self-assessment tool and referrals to free treatment through the National Gambling Support Network at begambleaware.org.

Our position

ClearPoint compares casinos, and we earn a commission when a reader opens an account through our links. That makes it all the more important to be clear: gambling is a form of paid entertainment, the house keeps an edge on every game, and over time most players lose money. Nothing on this site should be read as a way to make an income. We list only operators licensed by the UK Gambling Commission precisely because the licence obliges them to offer the protection tools described on this page.

Before you play

  • Decide on a budget you can afford to lose entirely, and set it as a deposit limit in the casino's account settings before your first deposit. Limits can be lowered instantly; raising them takes at least 24 hours by law.
  • Set a time limit as well. Every licensed casino offers reality checks that interrupt play at an interval you choose.
  • Never gamble with borrowed money, credit, or money set aside for rent, bills or family needs. Credit cards cannot be used for gambling in Great Britain for this reason.
  • Do not play when you are upset, tired, or under the influence of alcohol. Decisions made in those states are rarely good ones.

Warning signs

Problem gambling develops gradually, and the person experiencing it is often the last to notice. Be honest with yourself if any of the following sound familiar:

  • Spending more money or time than you planned, and returning the next day to win back losses.
  • Hiding gambling from a partner, family or friends, or lying about how much you spend.
  • Borrowing money, selling possessions or missing payments to fund play.
  • Feeling restless, irritable or low when you try to cut down.
  • Gambling to escape worries, stress or boredom rather than for enjoyment.
  • Thinking about gambling most of the time, even at work or with family.

Two or more of these is reason enough to pause and speak to someone. GamCare's helpline advisers talk to people at every stage, from mild concern to crisis, and the call is free and anonymous.

Tools every UK casino must offer

Under the Gambling Commission's licence conditions every operator on this site provides deposit limits, loss limits, session time limits, reality checks, time-outs of 24 hours to six weeks, and self-exclusion of at least six months. You will find them under account settings, usually labelled Safer Gambling or Responsible Gambling. Operators must also let you see your full history of deposits, stakes and losses, so you can check your real spend rather than your impression of it.

Self-exclusion

If you want to stop completely, GamStop blocks you from every licensed online gambling site and app in Great Britain with one registration, and the block cannot be lifted early. Pair it with blocking software such as Gamban or BetBlocker on your devices, and ask your bank about a gambling block on your debit card; most UK banks now offer one with a cooling-off period before it can be removed.

Family and friends

Living with someone else's gambling is hard. GamCare runs a dedicated service for affected others, and GamAnon offers peer support groups for family members. You do not need the gambler's permission or involvement to get help for yourself.

Under 18s

It is illegal for anyone under 18 to gamble online in the United Kingdom, and this site is intended for adults only. Operators verify age and identity at registration, and parents can use free filtering tools such as Net Nanny or the controls built into mobile operating systems to block gambling sites on children's devices.

Further resources

  • Gamblers Anonymous UK: peer support meetings across the country, gamblersanonymous.org.uk.
  • Gambling Therapy, run by Gordon Moody: online support and residential treatment, gamblingtherapy.org.
  • NHS National Problem Gambling Clinic: free specialist treatment, referral via your GP or self-referral.
  • UK Gambling Commission: licence register and complaints guidance, gamblingcommission.gov.uk.

Published by Clearpoint Digital Media S.r.l., Via Arcivescovo Calabiana 6, Milano, MI, Italy. Questions about this page: [email protected].