A Guide to Responsible Gambling

How to Gamble Responsibly: Our Tips

Starting to think about your own gambling habits is the first step to avoiding the downfalls. The following responsible gambling tips are the next stage of the process.

Gambling Is Not a Career

This is one of the things all responsible gamblers come to realise very quickly. OK, for a very small number of highly skilled professionals, gambling can become a legitimate career. However, for 99% of the population, gambling should not be viewed as a way to make money. Getting into this business in the hope of getting rich quickly is the fastest route to bankruptcy. Instead, gambling should be viewed as a pastime, a hobby. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a few hands of blackjack of an evening, but if you are starting to play because you need money to pay your rent then stop and seek help.

Only Risk What You Can Afford to Lose

There’s a famous saying among regular casino players that anybody seen placing an enormous bet, can afford to lose it. Look past the jealousy and ‘schadenfreude’ element though, and you’ll see that there is sensible logic behind this idea. Any responsible gambler placing a large bet should, in theory, have enough personal wealth left over to survive the loss. The awe comes in not from the size of the bet, but from the size of the bankroll required to place a bet of that size. Playing with money you cannot afford to lose is a big warning sign that a gambling problem is spiralling out of control. Check out this guide to bankroll management for a more detailed breakdown.

Never Try to Recoup Losses with Bigger Bets

Leading on from only playing with disposable funds, is resisting the urge to chase your losses through extended play, or by placing bigger and bigger bets. You should realise that casino games are designed to give the house an edge. The mechanics of such a setup essentially means that whilst short-term profits are available, over longer periods of play you are virtually guaranteed to lose. Chasing losses is one of the most common traps new players fall into. The reality is, the longer you play, the more likely you are to make a bad situation worse, rather than rectify it.

Set a Money Limit

This can be done in several ways, be it deciding on a set figure you are comfortably winning or losing, or by depositing a set amount each week, month or year, and resisting the urge to stray from the plan. Modern online casinos are aware of problem gambling – not to mentioned they are both morally and legally obliged to take notice – and package tools to make setting money limits easier and more convenient for players. You can even set a deposit limit, and once you reach it the operator will no longer take your money. This restriction expires after a pre-determined time period. This is a great way to manage the amount you are spending on gambling with a safety net in place in the event you are tempted to make a bad decision.

Set a Time Limit

Alternatively, it’s possible to set time limits to your play to further protect your bankroll. As we’ve already explained, the longer you play any casino games, be it slots, blackjack or roulette, the more likely you are to suffer losses. Restricting the amount of time you can play is – by default – restricting the amount of money you can lose, providing you don’t up your bets as a result. The best online casinos in the UK feature play clocks to make it easier to manage your time limits and gamble responsibly.

Don’t Gamble When You Are Upset…Or Drunk

Gambling addiction works like any other addiction. In the same way that an alcoholic might drink to escape the realities of the world around them, gambling addicts place bets to achieve the same thing. Often, this ties into deeper problems relating to depression or similar conditions, but the principle remains. Using gambling as a form of relief from unpleasant feelings is the beginning of a slippery slope. Long-term, gambling addiction causes severe financial issues for sufferers. Getting into the habit of gambling when you are upset or under the influence of alcohol is likely to cloud your judgement and lead to further bad gambling decisions.

How to Spot If I or Someone I Know Has A Gambling Problem

Identifying a gambling problem, or accepting that you have one, is half of the battle. Signs on a gambling problem can be difficult to detect in other people, but we’d advise players to look at themselves honestly. Are you lying about your gambling? Have you borrowed money to gamble? Are you constantly thinking about your next bet? Are your bet sizes getting bigger and bigger? Do you often contemplate ‘just one more bet’? If you or someone you know would answer yes to any of these questions, seek professional help immediately.

Warning Signs of Gambling Addiction

Chasing LossesYou begin betting bigger to recover lost money. This increases your risk and your total potential losses.

Borrowing MoneyYou start borrowing money to gamble with. You are no longer playing within your means.

You Gamble EverydayGambling too often is a clear sign that you are unable to refrain from the activity.

What to Do If You or Someone You Know Has a Gambling Problem

Fortunately, in the UK there are several avenues open to people suffering from gambling addiction. The National Gambling Helpline is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day on 0808 8020 133, with live chat at gamcare.org.uk. If you want to block yourself from every UK-licensed gambling site in one step, register with GamStop. Here’s a roundup of the other resources.

GambleAware

GambleAware closed on 31 March 2026. Its website remains online as an information resource on identifying gambling problems and who they affect, but it no longer runs services. The National Gambling Helpline that it used to fund is run by GamCare and is still open 24 hours a day on 0808 8020 133.

National Problem Gambling Clinic

The National Problem Gambling Clinic (NPGC) is focused on advancing existing models of treatment for gambling addiction. The clinic works closely with other UK services such as GamCare and Gordon Moody to care for individuals who are having difficulty controlling their gambling habits.

The website has an online form which you can fill in to apply get help locally in your area. There’s also a service open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday in London. The clinic is run by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL).

Gambler’s Anonymous

You may have already heard of Alcoholics Anonymous, or AA meetings as they are regularly referred to, but a similar service is also available to gambling addicts. The support groups take place all over the UK and provide a safe and judgement-free environment where suffers can go and share their experiences. The idea is that by communicating with fellow gambling addicts, it is possible to overcome problems together. The support network has been very successful and continues to grow in popularity. It’s also a common support network for gambling addicts who have already completed more intensive treatments and therapies, as regular Gambler’s Anonymous meetings helps them to maintain their progress.

GamCare

GamCare is the leading national provider of information and advice to those suffering from gambling related problems, and it runs the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, free and open 24 hours a day with live chat. It offers free counselling and treatment as well as a forum and chatroom service.

It also specialises in advice on debt control, one of the most common problems gambling addicts end of facing. The program helps recovering gambling addicts to better manage their finances and take back control of their financial independence. Face-to-face counselling is available throughout the UK.

Gordon Moody

Gordon Moody is a specialist in treatments for gambling addiction. Treatment involves an intensive residential programme much like rehab, and is effective for gamblers most severely affected by addiction and all the side effects of longer periods of excessive gambling.

Its therapeutic treatments are considered innovative in this field, and Gordon Moody is one of the most unique services out there tackling this problem in the UK. You can apply for treatment online. Gordon Moody also provides free treatment for those unable to pay for rehab, funded by charity donations.

Treatment for Gambling Addiction

Treatments for gambling addiction vary widely depending on the severity of the problem, and the subsequent side-effects of a person’s past gambling habits. Many sufferers opt to go through some form of counselling and/or psychotherapy to determine what it is that actually makes them unable to control their gambling in the first place. There are also rehab centres for more severe cases where patients can undergo a period of forced abstaining from gambling altogether. Anti-depressants and other medications are also often prescribed to people suffering from gambling addiction. Self-help groups and relapse prevention meetings are common in a process that can take years to manage successfully.

Have Fun, But Gamble Responsibly

We hope that the information in this guide has been useful. Following these responsible gambling tips will help keep you on the straight and narrow with your gambling. Remember, it’s important to have fun, but always be responsible. If you feel like you have even the slightest problem with your online casino gambling, seek help sooner rather than later.