Who can help with gambling debt?
Who can help with gambling debt? Free, non-profit debt advisers such as StepChange, National Debtline and Citizens Advice can review what you owe, deal with lenders and set up an affordable plan, while the National Gambling Helpline (0808 8020 133) and NHS clinics help with the gambling itself. You never need to pay for debt advice, and tackling both together works best.
By the Latest Casinos team. Last checked .
Key takeaways
- Free debt charities such as StepChange (0800 138 1111), National Debtline and Citizens Advice give impartial advice at no cost.
- Deal with priority debts first: housing, council tax, energy and court fines carry the most serious consequences.
- Breathing Space can pause most creditor action and interest while you get advice in England and Wales.
- Stop the flow of money to gambling at the same time with GAMSTOP and a bank gambling block.
- Gambling can’t clear a debt: the house edge means bigger stakes mean bigger expected losses.
- StepChange
- 0800 138 1111, free
- National Gambling Helpline
- 0808 8020 133, 24/7
- Cost of debt advice
- Free from charities
- Credit cards for gambling
- Banned since 14 April 2020
- Bank blocks
- Offered by most major UK banks
- Gambling winnings tax
- None for UK players
Who can help with gambling debt in the UK
Gambling debt usually needs two kinds of help at once: someone to sort out the money and someone to help with the gambling. The organisations below are free. Advisers at these services are there to help without judgement, whatever caused the debt.
| Who | What they help with | How to reach them |
|---|---|---|
| StepChange Debt Charity | Debt advice, debt management plans, IVAs, debt relief orders, bankruptcy and Breathing Space | 0800 138 1111 or its online debt advice tool |
| National Debtline | Free, confidential debt advice by phone and online | Its website and helpline |
| Citizens Advice | Debt, benefits and money advice, face to face or by phone | Local offices and online |
| National Gambling Helpline (GamCare) | Support with the gambling, referrals to counselling | 0808 8020 133, live chat or WhatsApp, 24/7 |
| NHS gambling clinics | Specialist treatment for gambling harm | Self-referral in England, or via your GP |
| Gamblers Anonymous | Peer support meetings | Meeting finder online |
StepChange (opens in a new tab) describes itself as non-profit with free advice, and the NHS gambling page (opens in a new tab) names National Debtline and Citizens Advice for money advice alongside gambling treatment. Our wider gambling and debt guide explains how these services fit together.
Gambling debt help: what to do this week
- Stop new gambling spending first: register with GAMSTOP and switch on your bank’s gambling block.
- Write a list of everything you owe: who to, how much, the monthly payment and any arrears.
- Mark the priority debts: rent or mortgage, council tax, gas and electricity, court fines and child maintenance.
- Contact a free debt adviser such as StepChange, National Debtline or Citizens Advice.
- Ask the adviser whether Breathing Space would help while a longer plan is set up.
- Call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 for help with urges while the money is sorted.
Priority debts and non-priority debts
Not all debts carry the same risk. Advisers usually sort them by what happens if you don’t pay, and pay the most serious first, even if other lenders are pressing harder.
| Type | Examples | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Priority | Rent, mortgage, secured loans | Missing payments can put your home at risk |
| Priority | Council tax | Arrears can lead to enforcement action |
| Priority | Gas and electricity | Supply can be affected |
| Priority | Court fines, child maintenance, tax owed to HMRC | Serious legal consequences |
| Non-priority | Credit cards, personal loans, overdrafts | Usually affects your credit file rather than your home |
| Non-priority | Payday loans, buy now pay later, catalogue debts | Lenders may chase hard but have fewer powers |
| Non-priority | Money borrowed from family or friends | Personal rather than legal pressure |
Money from a non-priority lender should never be used to pay a gambling site or to try to win back losses. An adviser can help you offer an affordable amount instead.
Debt solutions an adviser may suggest
Once an adviser understands your income and spending, they can explain which formal or informal options suit you. StepChange lists the following among the solutions it advises on.
- Debt management plan (DMP): one affordable monthly payment shared between non-priority creditors.
- Individual voluntary arrangement (IVA): a formal, legally binding agreement to repay part of what you owe over a set time.
- Debt relief order (DRO): for people with low income and few assets, which can write off qualifying debts after a period.
- Bankruptcy: a formal process for debts you can’t repay, with significant consequences that an adviser will explain.
- Scotland: different options apply, including the Debt Arrangement Scheme, protected trust deeds and sequestration.
Each option affects your credit file and, sometimes, your job or home differently. Formal decisions are best taken with a free adviser rather than a firm that charges fees.
Breathing Space: a pause while you get help
Breathing Space, the debt respite scheme in England and Wales, gives people in problem debt legal protection from most creditor action while they get advice. During a standard Breathing Space, creditors must pause most enforcement and contact, and interest and charges on qualifying debts are frozen. There is also a mental health crisis version for people receiving crisis treatment. You can’t apply directly: a debt adviser, such as StepChange, assesses you and applies on your behalf.
Stop gambling spending while you deal with the debt
Repayment plans fail if money is still leaking to gambling. The quickest barriers are GAMSTOP, which blocks every GB-licensed gambling site and app, and a bank block. The Gambling Commission’s list of banks with gambling blocks (opens in a new tab) includes Barclays, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds, Monzo, NatWest, Santander and Starling. Our guides to using GAMSTOP and bank gambling blocks explain each step.
Credit cards haven’t been usable for gambling in Great Britain since 14 April 2020, and that ban covers e-wallets topped up by credit card, as our credit card ban page sets out. That doesn’t stop gambling on overdrafts or personal loans, so blocks still matter.
Why gambling can’t clear a gambling debt
The thought ‘one good win would fix this’ is the most expensive one in debt. Casino games are designed with a built-in margin, so the expected result grows more negative the more you stake. Our guide to the house edge explains the maths; the table shows how it plays out.
| Total staked | Expected return | Expected loss |
|---|---|---|
| £500 | £480 | £20 |
| £2,000 | £1,920 | £80 |
| £10,000 | £9,600 | £400 |
| £50,000 | £48,000 | £2,000 |
Re-staking winnings means small balances can turn over many thousands of pounds, so expected losses mount quickly, and any single session can swing far below the average. Chasing a debt this way usually adds to it. Our page on the gambler’s fallacy covers the beliefs that make chasing feel reasonable.
Can a casino help with gambling debt?
A casino can’t write off a bank loan, but licensed operators do have duties. Since 28 February 2025, they must run a public-record financial vulnerability check, looking for things such as bankruptcy or county court judgments, when your net deposits pass £150 in a rolling 30 days. Under the customer interaction rules, they must act on signs of harm and stop marketing and new bonuses when indicators are strong.
If you think an operator ignored clear signs of harm, you can complain to it and, after eight weeks, take the dispute to a free independent service. Our guide on how to complain about a casino explains the steps. There is no promise of a refund, and the Gambling Commission itself can’t refund losses.
Debt traps to avoid
- Fee-charging debt firms: the charities above give the same kinds of advice at no cost.
- New borrowing to cover old debts: consolidation loans can help in some cases, but only on an adviser’s recommendation and with gambling blocks in place.
- Unlicensed lenders: anyone offering cash without checks, or demanding your bank card, is a danger to your safety and money.
- Offshore gambling sites: they sit outside GAMSTOP and UK rules, as our page on unlicensed casino risks explains.
If someone else’s gambling has left you in debt
Partners and relatives can be affected through joint accounts, joint loans or money lent informally. A free debt adviser can explain your responsibility for joint debts and how to protect your own credit file. Support for families includes NHS clinics, GamAnon meetings and GamFam; our page on help for family and friends covers separating finances safely.
Who can help with gambling debt next: related answers
Our answer on how to stop gambling sets out a 30-day plan, and the safer gambling hub and questions index collect related answers. Talking to the National Gambling Helpline (opens in a new tab) and a debt charity in the same week is often the turning point.
18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set deposit limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
Is there free help for gambling debt in the UK?
Yes. Charities such as StepChange, National Debtline and Citizens Advice give free, impartial debt advice, and none of them charges for setting up a plan. StepChange’s freephone number is 0800 138 1111, including from mobiles, and it also has an online advice tool. For the gambling itself, the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 is free and open 24/7. Using both together tends to work best. Our gambling and debt guide explains what each service does and how to prepare for the first call.
Can I get my gambling losses back from a casino?
Usually not. Money lost in fair games at a licensed casino is not normally refundable, and the Gambling Commission can’t refund losses. There are exceptions: if an operator let you gamble while you were self-excluded, or you believe it ignored strong signs of harm, you can complain to it. If the complaint isn’t resolved within eight weeks, you can take it to a free independent dispute service, although an outcome in your favour is never certain. Our guide on how to complain about a casino explains the process.
Will gambling show up on my credit file?
Gambling transactions themselves aren’t recorded as a debt on your credit file, but lenders who see your bank statements during an application may notice them. Missed payments, defaults, county court judgments and insolvency do appear on credit files, which is why tackling debt early matters. Licensed casinos also run public-record checks once net deposits pass £150 in a rolling 30 days. A free adviser can explain how each debt solution affects your file. The affordability checks explainer clarifies what operators actually check.
What is Breathing Space for debt?
Breathing Space is the debt respite scheme in England and Wales that gives people in problem debt legal protection while they get advice. During a standard Breathing Space, most creditors must pause enforcement and contact, and interest and charges on qualifying debts are frozen. A separate mental health crisis version exists for people receiving crisis treatment. You can’t apply yourself; a debt adviser, such as StepChange, assesses you and applies. Our gambling and debt guide explains how it fits with a longer plan.
Should I take out a loan to pay off gambling debt?
Only if a free debt adviser recommends it after looking at your whole budget. Consolidating several debts into one loan can lower monthly payments, but it often extends the term and costs more overall, and it can free up credit that gets gambled. If you do consolidate, put GAMSTOP and a bank gambling block in place first so the freed-up money can’t flow back to gambling sites. Never borrow to try to win back losses. Setting up card blocking is covered in bank gambling blocks.
Can I use a credit card to gamble in the UK?
No. Licensed gambling businesses in Great Britain have not been allowed to accept credit card payments since 14 April 2020. The rule also covers credit cards used through payment services, and operators accepting e-wallets such as PayPal or Skrill should make sure the money wasn’t loaded from a credit card. The ban doesn’t cover overdrafts or personal loans, so other blocks still matter if debt is a worry. The credit card ban page sets out exactly what is covered.
Who can help my family with gambling debt?
Family members can get help in their own right. A free debt adviser can explain who is responsible for joint debts and how to protect a separate credit file, while NHS gambling clinics also support relatives. GamAnon runs meetings for families, and GamFam offers a lived-experience network. The National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 can talk family members through their options too. Our page on help for family and friends covers practical steps such as separating accounts.
Do I need to stop gambling before getting debt advice?
No. You can contact a debt adviser at any point, and many people get advice while still struggling with gambling. Plans are more likely to succeed if the gambling stops, so it helps to set up GAMSTOP and a bank block at the same time and to tell the adviser honestly what is happening. Their job is to help, not to judge how the debt arose. The National Gambling Helpline can help with urges while the money is sorted. Our answer on how to stop gambling has a first-day plan.
Is gambling debt treated differently from other debt?
Generally no. Most gambling debt is ordinary consumer debt, such as credit cards used before the 2020 ban, overdrafts, loans or money borrowed from friends, and advisers deal with it in the same way as any other debt. What differs is that the cause needs tackling alongside the money, or the problem tends to come back. A good adviser will ask about gambling and point you to support. Our round-up of free gambling support in the UK lists services to use alongside debt advice.
Can a casino stop me gambling if I’m in debt?
Licensed operators have duties to spot and act on signs of harm. Since 28 February 2025, they must run a public-record check for things such as bankruptcy or county court judgments when your net deposits pass £150 in a rolling 30 days, and they must stop marketing and bonus offers when strong harm indicators appear. You can also take control yourself through GAMSTOP or an operator’s self-exclusion. Our page on customer interaction rules explains what operators must do.
Related pages
Sources
- StepChange Debt Charity. Free Expert Debt Help & Advice (opens in a new tab)
- Help for problems with gambling (opens in a new tab)
- GamCare - Founder of the National Gambling Helpline (opens in a new tab)
- Block gambling payments with your bank (opens in a new tab)
- 3.4.4 Financial vulnerability check (opens in a new tab)
- Gambling using a credit card (opens in a new tab)