Gambling addiction is a recognised mental health condition, not a lack of willpower. With betting apps available 24 hours a day on every phone, it’s easier than ever to lose control, and the harm can reach finances, relationships, work and mental health.
Imagine starting with small bets on football to make matches more exciting. Now you’re betting on games you don’t care about, at 3am, chasing losses. You’ve borrowed from friends and hidden bank statements from your partner. Each time, you promise yourself it’s the last.
Warning signs
- Betting more money or more often to get the same thrill
- Chasing losses
- Lying about or hiding gambling
- Borrowing money or selling things to gamble
- Feeling restless or irritable when trying to stop
- Gambling to escape stress, low mood or problems
Practical steps
- Install gambling-blocking software on your devices
- Use your bank’s gambling block, if available
- Sign up to self-exclusion schemes for gambling sites and venues
- Ask someone you trust to help manage your money for a while
- Get free debt advice
But where can I get help?
Talk to a doctor or nurse, or contact a national gambling support service or helpline in your country. Cognitive behavioural therapy and peer support groups such as Gamblers Anonymous help many people. Gambling problems are linked to a higher risk of suicide. If you’re having thoughts of suicide, contact your local emergency number or a crisis line, such as 988 in the US or Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK and Ireland.
Your next step: If any of these signs feel familiar, turn on your bank’s gambling block or install a blocking app today, before the next urge. Then tell one person you trust.
Sources: World Health Organization (Gambling), NHS (Help for problems with gambling), US National Council on Problem Gambling, Gamblers Anonymous. This guide is for general information and does not replace advice from your own nurse, doctor or mental health professional.
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