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Responsible gambling: tools, warning signs and free support in the UK

Updated 8 September 2026

Betting on football should be a small part of enjoying the game, with money you have set aside to spend on it. This page explains the tools every UK-licensed bookmaker must offer, the signs that betting has stopped being fun, and where to find free, confidential help.

Tools you can use today

Deposit limits. Set a daily, weekly or monthly limit in your account settings. A lower limit applies immediately; a higher one only after a cooling-off period.

Time-outs. Lock your account for a short period, from a day to several weeks, when you want a break.

Reality checks. Some sites can show a reminder of how long you have been logged in.

Self-exclusion with one bookmaker. Close your account for at least six months. The bookmaker must not reopen it or send you marketing during that time.

GAMSTOP. Register once at gamstop.co.uk and every online gambling site licensed in Great Britain must block you for six months, one year or five years. The exclusion cannot be cancelled early.

Blocking software and bank blocks. Apps such as GamBan block gambling websites on your devices, and many UK banks let you block gambling payments from your card in their app.

Signs that betting is becoming a problem

  • Betting more than you planned, or more than you can afford to lose.
  • Chasing losses with bigger stakes or extra bets.
  • Borrowing money, or using money meant for bills, to bet.
  • Feeling anxious, irritable or low when you are not betting.
  • Hiding how much you bet from people close to you.

If any of these sound familiar, the organisations below can help, whether you are betting yourself or worried about someone else.

Free, confidential support

  • National Gambling Helpline (GamCare): 0808 8020 133, free, 24 hours a day, plus live chat at gamcare.org.uk.
  • GambleAware: information and support at gambleaware.org.
  • GAMSTOP: national online self-exclusion at gamstop.co.uk.
  • Gamblers Anonymous UK: peer support meetings across the country at gamblersanonymous.org.uk.
  • Gordon Moody: residential and online treatment programmes at gordonmoody.org.uk.
  • NHS gambling clinics: specialist NHS treatment in England, which you can contact directly without a GP referral.

You do not need to have hit rock bottom to ask for help. A conversation with a helpline adviser is free, confidential and often the easiest first step.