Gambling debt help

Gambling debt help: what to do first

When gambling has left you owing money, the panic can make everything feel urgent at once. It helps to take things in a set order. None of these steps involves paying anyone, and none needs you to have all the answers before you start.

1. Stop new gambling spending today: switch on a gambling block in your banking app and register with GAMSTOP.
2. Don’t borrow to cover losses or to gamble, and don’t try to win the money back.
3. Write down everything you owe, to whom, and the monthly payment for each.
4. Work out your essential bills and make sure the priority ones keep being paid.
5. Contact a free debt advice charity, such as StepChange (opens in a new tab), for help with the rest.
6. Talk to the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 about the gambling itself.

If debt is making you feel hopeless or you’re thinking about harming yourself, call 999 or go to A&E now. Debts can always be dealt with, and help is available.

Stop new gambling spending before tackling the debt

There’s little point clearing one debt while another is growing. Barriers that make gambling harder give you the stable ground you need to sort out money.

• Bank gambling blocks stop card payments to gambling merchants. Many banks build in a delay before the block can be removed, from 48 hours at Lloyds and Starling to 3 days at HSBC.
• GAMSTOP blocks online gambling businesses licensed in Great Britain for 6 months to 5 years and can’t be cancelled early.
• Blocking software stops gambling sites and apps opening on your phone and computer.
• Marketing opt-outs. Since 1 May 2025 operators have needed your consent, product by product and channel by channel, before sending gambling marketing. The Gambling Commission explains how to stop gambling marketing texts and emails (opens in a new tab).

If you’re keeping any gambling accounts open, lower your deposit limits. Operators must apply decreases straight away.

List what you owe: priority and non-priority debts

Debt advisers generally sort debts into two groups. Priority debts are the ones where falling behind can lead to the most serious consequences, such as losing your home, having your energy cut off or court action. Everything else is non-priority. Paying priority debts first, even if other lenders are louder, protects the basics.

Write down every debt, even ones you’d rather not look at. Include the lender, the amount, the monthly payment and whether you’re behind. It’s a hard exercise, but advisers can’t help with debts they don’t know about.

A simple budget to see what you can afford

A budget turns a frightening total into a monthly plan. Here’s an illustrative example for someone with £1,800 a month take-home pay. Your own figures will differ, so use this as a template rather than a target.

In this example, £350 a month is what can realistically go to non-priority lenders. If the minimum payments add up to more than that, it’s a sign to get free debt advice, because an adviser may be able to negotiate lower payments. Our gambling budget guide has more on setting a spending plan.

Why gambling can’t clear gambling debt

When you owe money because of gambling, the idea of one good win can feel like the way out. The maths says otherwise. Every casino game has a house edge, and the average cost of play is simply the amount staked multiplied by that edge. More play means a bigger expected loss, not a smaller one.

Suppose someone owes £2,000 and tries to win it back on single-zero roulette, where every standard bet has a 2.70% edge. To have any realistic shot they’d need to stake far more than £2,000 in total. Here’s what that costs on average:

Any single session can land far from the average, which is what keeps the hope alive. But a big win is the less likely outcome, and the more someone plays, the closer results tend to drift towards the average loss. Doubling stakes after losses doesn’t change this either; our page on chasing losses explains why, and gambler’s ruin shows how quickly a limited bankroll runs out.

Free gambling debt advice and how it works

You never need to pay for debt advice. Free, impartial charities exist precisely so that people in debt don’t pay fees on top of what they already owe. Be wary of companies that advertise heavily and charge for the same help.

A debt adviser will usually go through your income, essential spending and debts with you, help you build a budget like the one above, and then explain what options fit your situation. They can also help you write to lenders. It’s normal to feel embarrassed about the gambling side, but advisers deal with debts from every cause, and telling them helps them suggest the right steps.

GamCare also describes a money guidance service among its support options, and the National Gambling Helpline can point you to it. Our directory of gambling support UK lists the main services side by side.

Formal debt solutions in plain English

If informal arrangements with lenders aren’t enough, a debt adviser may talk about formal solutions. Each has rules about who can use it and lasting effects on your credit record, so only take one with proper advice. The names below are those used in England and Wales; Scotland has its own versions.

Bankruptcies, IVAs, debt relief orders and county court judgments go on public records. Gambling businesses licensed in Great Britain now check those records once a customer’s deposits minus withdrawals pass £150 in a rolling 30-day period, under the Commission’s financial vulnerability check rules in force since 28 February 2025.

Talking to lenders about gambling debts

Contacting lenders before you miss payments, or as soon as you have, usually gives you more options than waiting. You don’t have to explain every detail of your gambling, but being honest that you’re getting help with your finances is often enough to start a conversation about reduced payments.

1. Get your budget ready, so you can show what you can afford.
2. Contact each lender by phone or in writing, and note the date and the name of anyone you speak to.
3. Ask about pausing interest and charges, and about a reduced payment plan.
4. Never agree to payments you can’t keep up; it’s better to offer less and stick to it.
5. Ask a debt adviser to contact lenders for you if it feels too much.

Avoid new borrowing: credit cards, loans and UK rules

New credit to cover gambling losses tends to make debt worse, because it adds interest to money that’s already gone. Gambling businesses licensed in Great Britain have been banned from accepting credit card payments since 14 April 2020, including credit card payments made through a money service business, and the Commission says firms should make sure e-wallets weren’t loaded from a credit card. The credit card ban explainer covers the details.

HSBC goes further and blocks credit card gambling payments automatically. If your bank doesn’t, consider asking it what controls it can add, and avoid payday loans, cash advances or borrowing from friends to fund gambling.

What gambling companies must do

Licensed operators have duties to spot and act on signs of harm, including signs drawn from spending patterns. When there are strong indicators of harm, they must stop marketing and stop offering new bonuses to that customer. They may also ask about your finances; the Commission explains why gambling businesses want to know about your finances (opens in a new tab).

If you think an operator failed to act when it should have, you can complain to it. It has 8 weeks to resolve the complaint, after which it must offer referral to a free, independent dispute resolution service. Our guide to customer interaction rules explains what operators are expected to do, and casino complaints and ADR covers the process.

Gambling debts and your family

Debts often affect partners and families, especially where there are joint accounts or shared bills. Being honest with the people you live with is hard, but it lets you protect priority bills together. Our guide on how to talk to someone about gambling has ways to start that conversation.

If you’re the partner or relative of someone with gambling debts, you’re entitled to advice in your own right. The guide to help for family of gamblers explains how to protect your own money.

Looking after yourself while you deal with gambling debt

Debt and gambling problems are both linked to stress, poor sleep, anxiety and low mood, and each can feed the other. Sorting out money is easier when you’re getting support with the gambling too. The National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare, is free and open 24/7 on 0808 8020 133, with live chat and WhatsApp (opens in a new tab) as alternatives.

In England you can also refer yourself to an NHS gambling clinic, as set out in NHS gambling treatment. Every tool on this site is listed on the safer gambling hub.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.