Guide

Am I addicted
to gambling?

If you're asking, something has probably felt off for a while. That's worth listening to. Here are the signs people most often recognise in themselves, and what you can do today if a few of them sound familiar.

If it's pulling hard right now: UK 0808 8020 133 · US 1-800-522-4700 · Australia 1800 858 858 · South Africa 0800 006 008 · other countries. Free, confidential, 24/7.

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The short answer

A gambling problem isn't about how often you bet or how much. It's about what gambling is doing to you: when it costs more money, time or peace of mind than you meant it to, and it's hard to stop even though you want to. Only a professional can diagnose a gambling disorder, but you don't need a diagnosis to decide you want to stop.

Ten signs people recognise

Read these slowly and be honest with yourself. Nobody else needs to see your answers.

  1. You chase losses. After losing, you bet again to win it back.
  2. You need bigger bets for the same buzz. The stakes that used to feel exciting now feel like nothing.
  3. You've tried to cut down or stop, and couldn't. Maybe more than once.
  4. You hide it. Deleting history, clearing notifications, playing down how much you've spent.
  5. You borrow, or move money around, to gamble or to cover losses.
  6. You feel restless or irritable when you're not gambling, or when you try to stop.
  7. You gamble to escape. Stress, boredom, loneliness or a bad day sends you to an app.
  8. It's taking time from people and things you care about. Work, sleep, family, friends.
  9. You think about it a lot. Planning the next bet, replaying the last one.
  10. You feel guilty or low afterwards, and then gamble again to feel better.

If several of these sound like you, it's a sign gambling has more hold than you'd like. That isn't a judgement on who you are. Gambling products are designed to be hard to put down. Here's how the ads work on you.

Try a proper self-check

Free, confidential questionnaires can help you see it more clearly. GamCare and the National Council on Problem Gambling both offer them, and Gamblers Anonymous has its own "Twenty Questions". They take a few minutes and nobody sees your answers.

What to do today if it sounds like you

  1. Talk to someone who knows gambling. A helpline is free, confidential and won't judge. You don't have to have decided anything to call. Find yours.
  2. Make the next bet harder. Self-exclude, switch on your bank's gambling block and block the sites on your phone.
  3. Tell one person. Someone kind. "I think my gambling's got out of hand" is enough to start.
  4. Have a plan for the first few days. The first 72 hours, step by step.

If you're not sure

You don't need to be certain to make a change. Try a month without gambling, with the doors shut, and notice how it feels. If it's easy, good. If it's harder than you expected, that tells you something too, and there's help for that.

Sources and further help

Updated 24 October 2026. Checked against the sources above. How we write these guides. You vs The House is a support tool, not medical advice. If you're struggling, a helpline or your doctor can help.

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