The NetLine provides confidential advice, information and emotional support throughout Great Britain to anyone experiencing problems with gambling. The NetLine is an online text ‘chat’ service, where you can talk to an adviser by typing, and they will type back.
If you want to speak to someone you can call us on 0808 8020 133. All our advisors are trained to listen and help people affected by gambling problems. And yes, the HelpLine is free of charge from UK Landlines and mobile phones.
The first step is always the hardest but we’re here to help you take it. If you know that your gambling is causing you difficulty but you’re not sure how to talk to someone about it, we’re here to listen and give advice on how to overcome your problem. When the people in your life know about your gambling – and, more importantly, know that you want to do something about it – it makes it much easier for you to make changes.
If your gambling has a negative impact on your life or people around you, you might have a gambling problem. It’s not always easy to recognise yourself, so how about taking our self-assessment quiz first?
Try the self-assessment quizAbout 2% of teens in the UK struggle with their gambling. Check out the ‘Real stories’, where you can read about other people’s experiences or write your own – chances are that someone is in a similar situation.
GamCare offers a range of help and advice. You can browse our website for more information about gambling and problem gambling. If you want to speak to someone you can call the National Gambling HelpLine, operated by GamCare, on Freephone 0808 8020 133.
If you’d rather chat to an advisor online, you can contact us via our NetLine service. The NetLine provides confidential advice, information and emotional support throughout Great Britain to anyone experiencing problems with gambling. The NetLine is an online text ‘chat’ service, where you can talk to an adviser by typing, and they will type back. You can access the service via a smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop PC. As well as reading what the adviser types, the adviser can also send you documents and links to read later.
We can give you advice about your situation, offer tips on how to control your gambling, and if you would like further help, we can refer you to the right people. All of our Advisers are fully trained and give friendly, confidential guidance to anyone affected by a gambling problem. You don’t even have to give us your name. We’ll make it work for you, all you have to do is get in touch.
Yes, the details you give us about your situation will be kept strictly confidential to Gamcare. We will not disclose your information, except in situations where we are required to do so by law, or if there is a risk of significant harm to the caller or another person.
Calls may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance purposes. Call recordings will be deleted after 28 days. The team works to a standard code of practice, which includes strict confidentiality within the team. Advisers need to discuss their work with their supervisor, and may need to pass information to their colleagues, but no information about callers is disclosed to third parties outside the GamCare counselling team without your consent except in the circumstances stated above.
Remember you don’t need to give any details that identify you during the call at any time, if you do not wish to.
You will be talking to a GamCare Adviser who is trained to listen and help people affected by problem gambling. The Adviser will listen to you carefully and encourage you to talk about your concerns. Sometimes just telling someone can be a relief, and it is an important first step towards dealing with the problem. If you wish to address the underlying issues which drive you to gamble more than you want, the Adviser may be able to help you do that too by putting you in touch with a local face to face counselor if there is one in your area (16+ only)
When you contact us, you can take as much, (or as little) time as you want to discuss your concerns. Some callers only contact us once, however some people may need to contact us again. We are sometimes just the beginning of a journey to recovery, and if you feel you need to speak with someone about your gambling issue frequently we are also able to signpost to other, specialist agencies who can help longer-term. We can also refer to our counselling services if appropriate.
Our Helpline and Netline are open from 8am to 12pm (midnight) every day.
If all the Advisers are busy, or you call between midnight and 8am, you can leave a message including your name and a number you are happy for us to call you on. We will then call you back when the lines are open.
No. You need not say who you are at all, but you may wish to do so. This information will be stored on a secure database. Likewise if you decide to be referred for counselling, we will need to take some personal details from you. This will be explained during the call.
The HelpLine number you have called may appear on your telephone bill if it is itemised. Also if someone else uses the last number redial function on your telephone that will call us again. We recommend that you find somewhere quiet and private to call from if you want to discuss personal matters in depth.
Often the person who’s gambling doesn’t think that they have a problem. Sometimes family and friends will spot the problem first, because the gambler might be convincing him/herself that everything is fine when really it isn’t.
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