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If gambling is affecting your money, wellbeing or relationships, you can ask for help at any stage. You do not need to wait until a problem becomes severe. This page brings together independent Australian support and practical options for taking a break.
Free Australian support
Call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858. Free support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also use Gambling Help Online for online counselling and resources. The service supports people affected by their own gambling as well as family members and friends.
You can start by explaining what is worrying you, even if you are unsure how to describe it. A counsellor can help you consider the next step and find services in your state or territory. Contact the support service directly; you do not need to send personal details to this website to use it.
When to pause
Pay attention if you are spending money needed for essentials, borrowing to gamble, chasing losses, hiding your spending or finding it difficult to stop. Gambling can also affect sleep, work and relationships before a financial crisis occurs.
A previous loss does not make a future win due. A game with a high return-to-player percentage can still lose money in a short session, and that percentage does not promise a return to an individual player. A bonus is not a solution to debt or a reason to keep playing after you intended to stop.
If you are concerned about your play, stopping and talking to someone is a reasonable next step. You do not have to keep gambling to make use of help or finish an offer’s wagering requirement before taking a break.
Practical ways to take a break
- Step away from the session. Close the game or app and make room for an activity that does not involve gambling.
- Protect essential money. Keep funds for housing, food and bills separate. Avoid borrowing or using credit to continue playing.
- Reduce reminders. Unsubscribe from gambling marketing and remove saved gambling apps or shortcuts if they encourage you to return.
- Use available controls. Ask the provider about account closure, time-outs and self-exclusion. Ask your bank what gambling-payment blocks it offers and what those blocks cover.
- Involve someone you trust. A conversation can make it easier to act on a decision to stop. Agree on support that respects your privacy and does not involve sharing account passwords.
Limits and blocking tools can help create distance, but they are not a guarantee that gambling will remain affordable or under control. If a control is easy to reverse or does not cover a particular service, discuss additional support with a gambling counsellor.
Self-exclusion and BetStop
BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register, is a free service covering Australian licensed online and phone wagering providers. An exclusion can run from three months to a lifetime. Covered providers must not let a registered person place bets, open a new account or receive their direct marketing.
BetStop is not a universal block on every gambling website. It does not cover online casino games or replace separate exclusion arrangements at land-based venues. If slots, casino websites or venue gambling are the concern, ask Gambling Help Online about the relevant options and contact the service or venue about its own exclusion process.
Before relying on a restriction, check its scope, duration and how it takes effect. Do not assume that closing one account automatically closes other accounts or removes you from every marketing list.
Support for family, friends and money concerns
You can seek support when someone else’s gambling is affecting you. A counsellor can help you talk about the situation, set boundaries and consider ways to protect household finances. You do not have to take responsibility for managing another adult’s gambling to get help for yourself.
If bills or debts are becoming difficult to manage, ask about financial counselling as well as gambling counselling. Australian government guidance describes support for gambling-related financial difficulties. A financial counsellor can help you work through the money problem without treating another bet as the answer.
Online Slots Australia is an information website, not a counselling service. For gambling support, use the independent services above. To report an error on this page, contact Stephen Letts. Our Editorial Policy explains how correction requests are handled.