Online gambling addiction: honest help with slots and casino apps

Online slots and casino apps are built for speed. A spin takes seconds, the app is in your pocket at 2am, and the money is a tap away, so it stops feeling like real money. If you’ve found yourself playing far longer than you meant to, or chasing what you lost, you’re not weak or stupid. You’re up against something designed to keep you playing.

This page is about online slots, casino games, roulette and gambling apps. My main gambling page covers gambling in general, and if betting on football or racing is the issue, see my page on sports betting.

How common gambling problems are depends on which survey you read. The Gambling Commission found 2.7% of adults in Great Britain had a problem gambling score of 8 or more (Gambling Commission, GSGB 2024). The NHS Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey put the figure at 0.4% of adults in England (NHS England, APMS 2023/4). The two surveys use different methods, so the numbers can’t be compared directly. The Gambling Commission also found that the share with a problem gambling score of 8 or more was around five times higher among those who played online slots or casino games than among all past-year gamblers.

Signs online gambling has become a problem

• Playing for longer, or spending more, than you meant to
• Chasing losses: playing on, or coming back the next day, to win back what you’ve lost
• Borrowing, using credit or selling things to gamble
• Playing at times you’d rather not, such as late at night or at work
• Hiding how much you play or spend from people close to you
• Feeling guilty, anxious or low about it, or people close to you being worried

The NHS has a short gambling self-check that asks about these same things.

Where to get help with online gambling in the UK

• Your GP. A confidential place to start, especially if gambling is affecting your sleep, mood or health. They can tell you about local services.
• The National Gambling Helpline. Run by GamCare, free and open 24 hours on 0808 8020 133, with live chat and WhatsApp too. It supports you, or a friend or family member.
• NHS gambling clinics. Specialist treatment in England, and you can refer yourself. They support family and friends too. Find out more on the NHS website
• Blocking tools. GAMSTOP is free and blocks you from online gambling companies licensed in Great Britain for 6 months, 1 year or 5 years. Gamban is software that blocks gambling sites and apps on your devices. You can also ask your bank to block payments to gambling sites and apps.
• Support groups. Gamblers Anonymous runs free meetings every day of the week, and you can just turn up.
• For family and friends. GamAnon runs meetings for anyone affected by a loved one’s gambling.
• Debt advice. StepChange, Citizens Advice and National Debtline (0808 808 4000) give free, confidential advice.

Where hypnotherapy fits

Hypnotherapy is not a treatment for gambling addiction, and I don’t offer it as one. The helpline, an NHS gambling clinic or your GP need to be part of your recovery.

Where I can help is alongside that care. Online gambling often starts as an escape from stress, boredom or a busy head, and the urge tends to hit at the same times: late at night, on payday, after a drink. Hypnotherapy can help you manage stress, sleep better, feel steadier in yourself and change what you do in those moments. It won’t stop you gambling on its own, but it can help you hold on to the decision you’ve made.

Before we work together I’ll ask whether you’re getting support from the helpline, a clinic or your GP. If I think you need that first, I’ll tell you honestly.

How to stop gambling online: things that help day to day

• Put up all the blocks at once. GAMSTOP, a blocker on every device and a bank gambling block each close a different door. Set them up on a good day, not in the middle of an urge.
• Treat “not on GAMSTOP” as a warning. Online gambling companies licensed in Great Britain are part of GAMSTOP, so a site that advertises it isn’t is not licensed here, and you lose the protections a licence gives you. You can check any company on the Gambling Commission’s public register.
• Put distance between you and the money. Remove saved cards from your phone, keep bill money in a separate account, and ask someone you trust to help if that feels right.
• Cut off the marketing. Delete the apps, unsubscribe from emails and texts, and turn off notifications. Offers and reminders are designed to pull you back.
• Know the stake limits, and what they don’t do. Online slots in Great Britain are now limited to £5 a spin for over-25s and £2 for 18 to 24 year olds (Gambling Commission, 2025). That slows things down, but losses still add up quickly over a long session.
• Plan for your danger times. If late at night is when it happens, charge your phone in another room. If it’s payday, have a plan for that evening before it arrives.

If you also trade crypto or shares in a way that feels like gambling, my page on trading addiction may help.

Common questions

How do I stop gambling online?

Start with blocks, because they buy you time when an urge hits: GAMSTOP, blocking software and a bank gambling block. Then get support for the reasons you play, from the National Gambling Helpline, an NHS gambling clinic or your GP. Blocks on their own rarely deal with what drives the urge.

Will GAMSTOP stop me gambling?

GAMSTOP blocks you from online gambling companies licensed in Great Britain for the period you choose. It doesn’t cover unlicensed sites or betting shops on its own, so it works best alongside blocking software, a bank block and support.

Is it confidential?

Yes. What you tell me stays between us. As with any therapist, the only exception is if I believed you or someone else were at serious risk of harm.

I’m worried about someone else’s gambling. What can I do?

The National Gambling Helpline supports friends and family as well as gamblers, NHS gambling clinics support families too, and GamAnon runs meetings for people affected by a loved one’s gambling. You can’t stop gambling for someone else, but you can get help for yourself, whatever they decide.

Talk it through

If you’re already getting support and want help alongside it, book a £49 consultation call. We’ll talk about what’s going on and whether sessions would help with the stress, sleep and habits around your gambling.

Written by Adam Cox, clinical hypnotherapist. Sources: Gambling Commission, Gambling Survey for Great Britain 2024, NHS England, Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2023/4, NHS gambling addiction guide, Gambling Commission stake limit guidance, GamCare and GAMSTOP. Checked October 2026.