![A lavender armchair beside a kitchen table at night, with a stack of unopened envelopes and a phone face down](https://viacara.com/img/content/addiction-gambling-feature-light.webp) # Gambling Gambling harm is treated apart from drugs and alcohol. The NHS runs clinics you can refer yourself to, and the national helpline is free and open 24/7. Gambling harm has its own NHS clinics, its own national helpline and its own NICE guideline. None of it runs through the drug and alcohol services. In Great Britain, close to 3 adults in every hundred sat in the most serious band in 2024. That band means a score of 8 or more on the Problem Gambling Severity Index. Source: [Gambling Commission: survey 2024](https://viacara.com/support/addiction/gambling/#ref-3) ## Where the *NHS* route starts You can refer yourself to a gambling clinic near you. Or ask a GP what your area has. It is free, and nobody needs to send you. From 1 April 2026, NHS England took on commissioning for gambling-harm treatment in England. GamCare runs the National Gambling Helpline, which family members can call too. [National Gambling Helpline](https://www.gamcare.org.uk) Anyone affected by gambling The national line for anyone harmed by gambling, run by GamCare, with live chat and WhatsApp alongside the phone. 24/7 [Call](tel:+448088020133) [Live chat](https://www.gamcare.org.uk/get-support/talk-to-us-now/) [NHS gambling clinics](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support/gambling-addiction/) Adults and young people England Specialist NHS gambling clinics across England. You can refer yourself, or ask a GP about services in your area. [How to self-refer](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support/gambling-addiction/) Sources: [NHS: gambling addiction](https://viacara.com/support/addiction/gambling/#ref-1), [NHS England: gambling harms treatment](https://viacara.com/support/addiction/gambling/#ref-2) ![The same table in daylight, the envelopes opened and sorted into neat piles](https://viacara.com/img/content/addiction-gambling-mid-light.webp) The debt is a separate problem from the pull to gamble. Both have people who help ## Why a *trained* professional matters here NICE says the talking therapy for gambling needs someone trained in gambling. That is a rule, not a preference. So the gambling itself belongs with the clinics above. Nobody found here stands in for them. Source: [NICE NG248](https://viacara.com/support/addiction/gambling/#ref-4) ## What talking support *does* hold Gambling rarely arrives alone. The anxiety, the sleeplessness, the shame and the damage at home usually outlast the last bet. A general therapist or counsellor can work on those with you. Debt has its own free advisers, listed on [our money worries page](https://viacara.com/support/money-worries/). If a partner or family member gambles, [someone else's addiction](https://viacara.com/support/someone-elses-addiction/) is for you. ## You might find it *useful* when - You have stopped gambling and the feelings underneath have come up - The urge follows stress, boredom or low mood rather than the money - Lying about it has damaged the trust in a relationship - The shame is keeping you from telling anyone at all - You want to understand the pattern rather than only stop the behaviour Tell a professional what specialist support you already have. A good one will work alongside it and will say so. Thanks for your interest. We're not taking on new clients at the moment. ## Ready to talk about what sits *underneath* it? We ask what matters to you, then find professionals who fit. Leave your email and we'll let you know as soon as we're ready for you. This conversation helps us find you the right support. What you share helps us understand what you're looking for and find someone who fits. Your email keeps you updated on what's happening next and isn't shared with anyone we introduce you to. [Privacy policy](https://viacara.com/privacy) [Terms of service](https://viacara.com/terms) ## References 1. National Health Service (2026). *Gambling addiction*. [Link](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support/gambling-addiction/) 2. NHS England (2026). *Gambling harms treatment programme*. [Link](https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/gambling-harms-treatment-programme/) 3. Gambling Commission (2024). *Gambling Survey for Great Britain: annual report 2024, Problem Gambling Severity Index*. [Link](https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/report/gambling-survey-for-great-britain-annual-report-2024-official-statistics/gsgb-annual-report-2024-problem-gambling-severity-index) 4. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2025). *Harmful gambling: identification, assessment and management, NG248*. [Link](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/n/niceng248guid/) ## Related ### [Alcohol and Drugs](https://viacara.com/support/addiction/alcohol-and-drugs/) Free NHS and charity services treat drinking and drug problems, and you can refer yourself. Talking support works alongside them, never instead. ### [Compulsive Habits](https://viacara.com/support/addiction/behavioural/) Gaming, shopping, work and sex can all become compulsive. No single national service covers them, so a GP comes first and talking support does the rest. ### [Someone Else's Addiction](https://viacara.com/support/someone-elses-addiction/) When a partner, parent or child is drinking, using or gambling, the strain lands on you too. Support exists for you, in your own right. ### [Money worries](https://viacara.com/support/money-worries/) Money worries can affect your mental health, and the other way round. Free debt advice handles the money. We help with the worry, alongside it. ### [Understanding Anxiety](https://viacara.com/support/anxiety/) Learn about anxiety, its symptoms and how therapy can help. Find the right practitioner for anxiety support. ### [Finding the Right Practitioner](https://viacara.com/guides/finding-a-practitioner/) A practical guide to finding a mental health practitioner who fits your needs, preferences and budget.