Gambling should be entertainment you can afford — never a way to make money or escape stress. This page helps you spot the warning signs, set real limits, and find free, confidential support the moment you need it.
Call or text the National Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537), or call 1-800-522-4700. It's free, confidential and available 24/7, all across the US. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911 or the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
Responsible gambling means staying in control: you decide in advance how much time and money you're willing to lose, you only gamble with money you can afford to lose, and you stop when you hit that limit — win or lose. It means never chasing losses, never borrowing to play, and never gambling to fix a bad mood. If any of that stops being true, it's a signal to pause.
Set a budget before you deposit. Treat it like the price of a night out — once it's gone, the session is over. Keep gambling separate from rent, bills and savings, and never use a credit card or loan to fund play.
Problem gambling builds slowly, so it's easy to miss. Watch for these signs in yourself or someone close to you:
Answer these honestly. They're adapted from screening tools used by clinicians. The more you answer "yes," the more it's worth reaching out for support.
Even one "yes" is worth a conversation with the helpline. This is a screening prompt, not a diagnosis.
Most reputable sites give you tools to enforce your own limits. Use them before you need them, not after.
State self-exclusion registers (like those run by regulated US operators) do not cover offshore casinos and sportsbooks. If you self-exclude through a state program, offshore sites won't automatically know or block you. That means you must use each offshore site's own deposit-limit, cool-off and self-exclusion tools on every account you hold — and, if you're struggling, consider device-level blocking software such as Gamban or GamBlock, which block gambling sites across your devices regardless of where the operator is licensed.
These organizations offer free, confidential help across the United States:
Many states run their own dedicated problem-gambling helplines. If you'd rather talk to a local service, use the number for your state below. The national line works from anywhere in the US.
| State / Scope | Helpline |
|---|---|
| National (NCPG) | 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) |
| National (NCPG alt.) | 1-800-522-4700 |
| California | 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) |
| Florida | 1-888-ADMIT-IT (1-888-236-4848) |
| Ohio | 1-800-989-9966 |
| Tennessee | 1-800-889-9789 |
| Georgia | 1-888-236-4848 |
Helpline numbers can change; if a number doesn't connect, call the national line at 1-800-GAMBLER for a referral to services in your state.
You must be of legal gambling age to play — 18+ or 21+ depending on the operator and your location. Never gamble on behalf of a minor, and keep your account credentials and devices secure so under-age household members can't access them. If a site lets you play under age, that's a red flag about the site.
If you're worried about a friend or family member, you don't have to fix it alone. Contact Gam-Anon or call the national helpline for guidance on how to talk to them and what support exists. Avoid lending money or paying gambling debts, which can prolong the problem. Encourage them toward help — recovery is very possible, and support is free.