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How and where to get help

Asking for help can be tough, especially if you’ve tried before and not received the support you needed. But remember, asking for help is a sign of strength and you are not alone.

Some services also support those close to people with a gambling addiction, such as family, partners, and carers. These specialists will talk to you about the treatment options that are right for you and make sure you get the support you need.

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Support in Greater Manchester

If you live in Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford or Wigan, the NHS North West Gambling Service can provide advice, therapy and recovery support.

Anyone aged 18 or over and registered with a GP in the area can access the NHS North West Gambling Service, virtually or in-person at clinics in Preston, Blackpool, Liverpool and Manchester.

You can refer yourself to the service by completing a short online form, or by calling 0300 300 1490 or emailing referral.ngs@nhs.net and leaving a contact number.

Alternatively, you can ask your GP or trusted professional to make a referral for you.

Yorkshire and North East

West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Humber and North Yorkshire and North East

NHS North East Gambling Service

A service providing specialist addiction therapy and recovery for people affected by gambling addiction or gambling harms.

Anyone aged 18 or over and registered with a GP in the area can access the NHS North West Gambling Service, virtually or in-person.

You can refer yourself to the service by completing a short online form, or by calling 0300 300 1490 or emailing referral.ngs@nhs.net and leaving a contact number. Alternatively, you can ask your GP or trusted professional to make a referral for you.

Get help now

North West

Lancashire, Cumbria, Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester

NHS North West Gambling Service

A service providing specialist addiction therapy and recovery for people affected by gambling addiction or gambling harms.

Anyone aged 18 or over and registered with a GP in the area can access the NHS North West Gambling Service, virtually or in-person at clinics in Preston, Blackpool, Liverpool and Manchester.

You can refer yourself to the service by completing a short online form, or by calling 0300 300 1490 or emailing referral.ngs@nhs.net and leaving a contact number. Alternatively, you can ask your GP or trusted professional to make a referral for you.

Get help now

South West

Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucester, Devon, Cornwall, Wiltshire

NHS South West Gambling Service

A specialist service providing support for people affected by gambling addiction or gambling harms.

Anyone aged 18 and over and registered with a GP in the South West can access the NHS South West Gambling Service remotely or in person.

You can refer yourself into this service by phoning 0330 022 3175 Monday-Friday, 9am-7pm. Alternatively, you can ask your GP or trusted professional to make a referral for you.

Get help now

South East

Hampshire and Isle of Wight, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Surrey, Sussex and West Berkshire

NHS Southern Gambling Service

A specialist service providing treatment and support to people experiencing gambling-related harms or a gambling addiction.

Anyone aged 17 and older registered with a GP in the South East can access the NHS Southern Gambling Service remotely or in person.

You can refer yourself to the service by completing an online referral form, or emailing southerngamblingservice@southernhealth.nhs.uk. Alternatively, you can ask your GP or trusted professional to make a referral for you.

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East Midlands

Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland

NHS East Midlands Gambling Harms Service

A service offering specialist treatment and support to people struggling with gambling harms and gambling addiction.

Anyone aged 18 or over and registered with a GP in the East Midlands can access the NHS East Midlands Gambling Harms Service, either face-to-face or virtually.

You can refer yourself to the service by completing an online form, or by calling 0300 013 2330 (leave a message if outside office hours) or emailing dhcft.emgamblingharms@nhs.net. Alternatively, you can ask your GP or trusted professional to make a referral for you.

Get help now

West Midlands

Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin

NHS West Midlands Gambling Harms Clinic

A service providing specialist addiction therapy, treatment and recovery to people affected by gambling addiction and gambling harms.

Anyone aged 18 or over and registered with a GP in the area can access the NHS West Midlands Gambling Harms Clinic.

You can refer yourself to the service by completing an online form. Alternatively, you can ask your GP or trusted professional to make a referral for you.

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London

Greater London

NHS National Gambling Clinic

A specialist service providing treatment and support to people experiencing gambling harms.

Anyone aged 13 and over can access the NHS National Gambling Service remotely or in person.

You can refer yourself to the service by emailing gambling.cnwl@nhs.net or calling 020 7381 722 and leaving a contact number. Your call will be returned within 24-72 hours. Alternatively, you can ask your GP or trusted professional to make a referral for you.

Get help now

East of England

Essex, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk

NHS East of England Gambling Service

A specialist service offering support for anyone affected by the negative impacts of gambling.

Anyone aged 18 or over can access the NHS East of England Gambling Service online or in-person, with support available individually or for a family/support network.

You can refer yourself to the service by completing an online form. If you have any questions, contact the service by calling 01908 724287 or emailing cnwl.eofegambling@nhs.net. Alternatively, you can ask your GP or trusted professional to make a referral for you.

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Scotland

There are currently no specialist NHS gambling treatment services in Scotland, but other support is available. You can ask your GP or a trusted professional to make a referral for you.

National Gambling Helpline

The National Gambling Helpline (run by GamCare) provides free and confidential advice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

You can speak to an advisor by contacting 0808 8020 133 or access online live chat.

Contact helpline

RCA Trust

The RCA Trust provide community-based counselling services for gambling-related harms and addiction across Scotland.

You can refer yourself to this service by completing a short enquiry form online.

Get help now

Peer support

Gamblers Anonymous has a separate branch in Scotland providing peer support for people experiencing and in recovery from gambling addiction.

Gamblers Anonymous operates local meetings for people experiencing gambling harms or addiction. Each local group operates slightly differently but participants can join any meeting.

Gamblers Anonymous

GamAnon has a separate branch in Scotland providing peer support for families affected by gambling harms and gambling addiction.

Gamanon

Wales

There are currently no specialist NHS gambling treatment services in Wales, but support is available.

National services which operate across England and Wales can help, this includes the National Gambling Helpline and Support Network which provides advice and counselling therapy to people affected by gambling.

Alternatively, you can speak to your GP or a trusted professional to help access the right support for you.

Helpline and support network

Northern Ireland

There are currently no specialist NHS gambling treatment services in Northern Ireland, but other support is available.

DUNLEWEY Addiction Services

A service providing counselling and support for addiction. The Gambling Support Service includes a confidential helpline which is available across the island of Ireland. 

Anyone aged 18 or older can access the counselling service, whether directly or indirectly affected by gambling.

Freephone NI Helpline: 0800 088 6725

Find out more

Southern Health and Social Care Trust (Dungannon, Craigavon, Armagh, Banbridge and Newry and Mourne)

A counselling service for individuals and families who are concerned about the impact of gambling in their lives.

You can refer yourself to the service by calling (028) 3756 4513 (ask for Early Intervention Services) or email community.addictions@southerntrust.hscni.net. Alternatively, you can ask your GP or trusted professional to make a referral for you.

Find out more

Free and confidential support is available from NHS specialists in England.

If you think gambling could be affecting you, click the map for specialist services in your area that provide advice, therapy and recovery support.

Click the map to view services near you

Need urgent help & support?

National services for England and Wales

  • National Centre for Behavioural Addictions

    National Centre for Behavioural Addictions

    If you are aged 13 or over and have complex problems related to gambling or gaming, you can refer yourself to the National Centre for Behavioural Addictions.

    To make a referral, contact gambling.cnwl@nhs.net or call 020 7381 7722 leaving a contact number. Your call will be returned within 24-72 hours. Alternatively, you can ask your GP or trusted professional to make a referral for you.

    National Centre for Behavioural Addictions

  • National Gambling Helpline and Support

    National Gambling Helpline and Support

    The National Gambling Helpline (run by GamCare) provides free and confidential advice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They can also signpost you to a range of support, such as counselling services, as part of the National Gambling Support Network.

    You can speak to an advisor or refer yourself to the National Gambling Helpline and Support Network by contacting 0808 8020 133 or visit https://www.begambleaware.org/ngsn. Alternatively, you can ask your GP or trusted professional to make a referral for you.

    The National Gambling Helpline and Support Network is commissioned by the charity GambleAware, which receives voluntary donations from the gambling industry.

    Helpline and support network
  • Peer Support: Gamblers Anonymous

    Peer Support: Gamblers Anonymous

    Gamblers Anonymous operates local meetings for people experiencing gambling harms or addiction. Each local group operates slightly differently but participants can join any meeting.

    Gamblers Anonymous is described as a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other so that they may solve their common problem and help others do the same.

    Find out more
  • Peer Support: GamLearn

    Peer Support: GamLearn

    The Gambling Lived Experience and Recovery Network (GamLEARN) supports and empowers those who have experienced gambling-related harm to lead a happy and meaningful life without gambling.

    GamLEARN is a member-focused charity with lived experience represented throughout.

    GamLEARN

  • Peer Support: GamFam

    Peer Support: GamFam

    GamFam is a charity offering free online peer support, including structured peer support groups for affected others and separate groups for those in recovery. It aims to empower individuals and families to reduce the impact of gambling harms and move to a more positive future.

    Structured peer support groups provide an opportunity to share experiences in a safe space, and with access to information and support to help those affected learn and understand about gambling disorder.

    GamFam is not a clinical service, but is an organisation with lived experience at the heart of what they do.

    You can find out more information and access support from the GamFam website. Someone will reach out within 24 hours of receiving a request, with access to a group usually within a week.

    Find out more

Other types of support

  • Financial and Legal support: Citizens Advice Bureau

    Financial and Legal support: Citizens Advice Bureau

    Your local Citizens Advice Bureau provides free, confidential support and advice on the phone, online and in person. This can include support with managing finances, debt, and legal advice as well as a range of other concerns.

    Citizens Advice

  • Mental health support: Hub of Hope

    Mental health support: Hub of Hope

    The Hub of Hope is a mental health support database of services available near you. These services may not have specialist knowledge or experience of dealing with gambling addiction and harms, but support services listed on the Hub of Hope are able to help improve your general mental health and wellbeing.

    hub of hope

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    Not sure how or why gambling is affecting you?

    If you need help figuring out how and why gambling is having an impact on your life, you can visit our ‘What are gambling harms’ page.

    What are gambling harms?
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    What does treatment look like?

    If you want to find out more about how treatment works, here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the treatment process.

    Understanding the treatment process
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    Getting ready for change

    While you are waiting to start treatment or just thinking about whether you need support, you might find it helpful to prepare. We realise that it can be a big step, so we created the ‘Preparing for change’ page to help you.

    Preparing for change