Bring support alongside the settings
Settings can slow things down, but they cannot listen, notice a hard week or help untangle debt. People can. The services below are free, long-established and used by many people in Great Britain alongside blocking tools. Contacting one of them is not a step you need to earn by trying everything else first.
Talking it through with GamCare
GamCare is a long-standing charity that runs the National Gambling Helpline for England, Scotland and Wales, with support by phone and live chat, alongside online forums and group chat rooms. Advisers can talk through blocking options, self-exclusion, money worries and local treatment, and no referral is needed. GamCare also supports partners, relatives and friends who are affected by someone else's gambling. Current contact details are on GamCare's website.
NHS gambling services
The NHS National Problem Gambling Clinic in London was the first NHS service of its kind when it opened in 2008. It offers assessment and treatment, including cognitive behavioural therapy, for people affected by gambling. Further NHS gambling clinics have since opened in other parts of England, among them the NHS Northern Gambling Service. You can usually refer yourself, and a GP can help too. The NHS website lists clinics and current referral routes.
Peer groups and residential care
- Gamblers Anonymous
- Mutual-help meetings run by people with their own experience of gambling, held in person and online.
- GamAnon
- A sister fellowship for relatives and friends of people who gamble.
- Gordon Moody
- A charity offering residential treatment and online support for people with severe gambling problems.
Some people find a group of others who understand easier than one-to-one support; others prefer the reverse. Both are valid, and many people use more than one.
Money and debt
Gambling harm and debt often travel together. Citizens Advice and StepChange both give free, confidential debt advice, and can help with priority bills and dealing with creditors. Banks also have teams for customers in financial difficulty, and a bank gambling block can be set up in the same conversation.
Asking someone to hold the keys
- Choose one person you trust who is likely to stay calm.
- Explain what you are setting up and why, in whatever words feel right.
- Ask them to choose and keep the passcodes for Screen Time, Family Safety or your router.
- Agree what happens if you ask for a code back — for example, waiting a day and talking first.
- Set a time to check in, so the arrangement does not depend on you raising it.
Their role is to hold a key, not to watch over you. If no one feels right, a GamCare adviser can help you think through the setup instead.
All of this is general information, not personal advice. A GP, an NHS gambling clinic or GamCare can help you decide what suits your own situation.