Understanding the risks of online gambling and knowing where to find support are essential parts of playing safely. This page outlines the warning signs of problem gambling, the tools available to help you maintain control, and organisations ready to provide assistance if you need it.
Recognising when gambling becomes a concern
Problem gambling can develop gradually, sometimes without a person noticing it. A few key warning signs suggest it may be time to pause and reassess. These include spending more money than you intended or can afford to lose, returning repeatedly to try to recover losses you’ve already made, thinking about gambling constantly, neglecting work or personal relationships because of gambling, borrowing money or taking on debt to fund betting, and lying to friends or family about how much you actually spend on gambling.
If you find yourself experiencing any of these, reaching out for support is a straightforward and confidential step.
Tools to stay in control
The UK offers a national self-exclusion scheme that allows you to voluntarily restrict your access to online gambling for a period you choose. You can register for this scheme, which works across all operators regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. Individual operators also typically offer deposit limits, spending limits, time-out periods, and cooling-off features within their platforms—these allow you to set personal boundaries before problems develop.
Getting help and support
Professional support in the UK is free and confidential. The National Gambling Helpline offers advice, information, and counselling to anyone concerned about their own gambling or that of someone close to them. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 0808 8020 133. The NHS also operates gambling clinics across the country providing treatment and specialist support.
For those seeking self-exclusion at the national level, information about the scheme and how to register is publicly available. You can also contact gambling support charities for guidance on which tool might suit your needs.
About the operator’s licensing: Tombheist’s operator publishes details of its licensing and regulatory status on its own website, where you can verify them against the relevant regulator’s public register.