Responsible gambling

Gambling should be entertainment paid for with money you can afford to lose. If it has stopped feeling that way, the tools and support on this page are free, confidential and available right now. This site is for adults aged 18 and over.

Get help now, free and confidential

• National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133. Free, open 24 hours a day, run by GamCare. Phone or live chat via GamCare.org.uk.
• BeGambleAware.org offers advice, self-assessment tools and directions to local support.

Self-exclusion: GamStop

GamStop is the free national self-exclusion scheme. One registration blocks you from every online gambling site licensed in Great Britain, for a period you choose of six months, one year or five years. Every operator reviewed on PlayMagpie UK participates in GamStop, because every GB-licensed online casino is required to. If you have self-excluded, this site is not for you, and any site offering you a way around your exclusion is acting against you, not for you.

Tools at every licensed casino

• Deposit limits: set a daily, weekly or monthly cap before you play.
• Time-outs: short breaks from 24 hours to six weeks.
• Reality checks: on-screen reminders of how long you have been playing.
• Account history: every licensed casino must show your full deposit and loss history.

You can also block gambling transactions at the bank level: most major UK banks offer a gambling block in their app, and blocking software such as Gamban covers devices themselves.

Signs worth taking seriously

Chasing losses, gambling with money needed for essentials, hiding your gambling from people close to you, or feeling anxious when you cannot play. None of these mean weakness; they mean the product is working on you the way it is designed to. The helpline above exists for exactly this conversation, and it costs nothing.