Gambling Help: Helplines, Support Groups and Treatment

The Short Answer: Where to Find Help

The quickest way to find help with gambling is to call or text the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738), or to use its online chat. It is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and it connects you with local support, whether the worry is about your own gambling or someone else’s.

Beyond the helpline, many people find help through peer support groups such as Gamblers Anonymous, through family support such as Gam-Anon, and through counseling or treatment with trained professionals. You can combine these, and you can start with whichever feels easiest.

This guide explains what each option offers, what to expect when you reach out, how family members can find support, and what to do in a crisis. It is general information, not medical advice, and each organization’s details are best confirmed on its own official page.

The National Problem Gambling Helpline

The National Problem Gambling Helpline is operated by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). It serves as a one-stop hub that connects people with local resources, through contact centers covering all 50 states and U.S. territories, and it offers call, text and chat services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You do not need insurance or payment information, although standard carrier data rates may apply if you text.

When you contact the helpline, trained professionals who specialize in gambling-related issues answer. NCPG says the services available vary by region but may include information about problem gambling and its signs, referrals to local therapists, counselors, support groups and treatment, guidance on self-exclusion where it is available, and referrals for financial counseling. You can simply ask questions, and you do not have to commit to anything.

NCPG also makes clear that the helpline is not an emergency or crisis service. If you or someone you care about is in crisis, call 911 or 988. NCPG says calls are not automatically referred to 911, but that an operator will share vital information with emergency services if someone’s life is in imminent danger.

Support Groups: Gamblers Anonymous and Gam-Anon

Gamblers Anonymous (GA) is a peer fellowship for people who think they may have a gambling problem. Its website says there are no dues or fees, and that meetings are available in person, online and by telephone. Only people with a gambling problem, or who think they may have one and want to stop, can take part in meetings as members, while spouses, family and friends are welcome to attend and observe. GA also operates a national hotline at 855-222-5542, which can help you find a meeting.

Gam-Anon is a separate fellowship for people affected by someone else’s gambling. Its website describes its purposes as welcoming people and offering them assistance and comfort, sharing experience and hope in coping, and using its program to support emotional growth and recovery. It speaks to people who feel anxious or worried about a loved one’s gambling, or who are dealing with money problems because of it. Gam-Anon’s hotline is 844-475-4213.

Peer groups work differently from therapy, so they suit some people more than others. Many find it helpful to combine them with professional support, and you can try a meeting once without any obligation.

Counseling and Treatment Options

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) notes that some people can stop gambling on their own, but that many need help, and that only about one in ten people with gambling disorder seek treatment. It adds that different approaches may work better for different people, and that treatment can slowly help reverse the reward pathways that gambling can change in the brain. Seeking help is common sense, not weakness, and it is more effective when it begins early.

An umbrella review of five meta-analyses, covering 56 studies and more than 5,000 participants, found strong evidence that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) reduces gambling disorder severity and gambling behavior compared with minimal or no treatment. CBT helps people identify high-risk situations, manage urges, build alternative activities and plan for setbacks. The review also notes limited evidence about long-term effects and about outcomes outside research settings, so it is best seen as a promising starting point rather than a guarantee.

NCPG advises thinking carefully about the setting, length of care, approach and your own needs when choosing a program. Its directory lists programs that offer outpatient, intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization and residential care, with the caveat that listing is not an endorsement and that the directory is not complete. A helpline staff member or your doctor can help you compare options, and SAMHSA’s National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) offers free, confidential referrals for mental health and substance use concerns, in English and Spanish.

Help at a Glance

A Practical Example

Imagine someone who has been worried about their partner’s gambling for months. This is a made-up scenario, not a real person. They are anxious about the household accounts and are not sure whether they are overreacting or whether anyone could help.

They look up the national helpline and send a text. A trained responder asks what is happening, explains the options in their state, and mentions a family support fellowship. They do not have to decide anything on the first contact. They simply learn what exists, and they feel less alone.

The next week, they attend an online family meeting, and later they raise the subject calmly with their partner, describing what they have noticed without blame. They also ask for information about financial counseling. Over time, the conversation moves from secrecy toward support, and both of them have places to turn.

Support for Family and Friends

Gambling problems rarely affect only one person. NCPG’s Gambling Assessment Manual notes that, on average, each person affected by problem gambling affects an additional 7 to 20 people in their family and community, and it points to Gam-Anon as one source of support for loved ones. Your own wellbeing matters too, and you do not need to wait for the person gambling to be ready before you seek help for yourself.

If you want to talk with the person you are worried about, choose a calm, private moment, say what you have noticed and how you feel, and listen without blaming. Avoid ultimatums made in anger. You can share the helpline number, offer to sit with them while they call, and keep the door open if they are not ready. Support for family members is available through Gam-Anon and through the national helpline, which can also point you toward financial counseling.

To learn more about what to look for, read warning signs of problem gambling.

If You Are in Crisis

Gambling problems can bring heavy stress, shame and money worries, and for some people these feelings become overwhelming. Research has linked gambling problems with a higher risk of suicidal thoughts, but help is available and it works, and thoughts of suicide are not a sign of weakness.

If you or someone you know is in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or use its chat. It is free and confidential, available 24 hours a day, every day, and its counselors are there to listen without judgment. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. The national gambling helpline is not designed for emergencies, so use 988 or 911 for those moments and the gambling helpline for the support that follows.

Common Myths and Misunderstandings

One myth is that you have to hit rock bottom before asking for help. NCPG notes that gambling can be a problem when it interferes with relationships, work or health, regardless of how much money is involved, so you can reach out earlier. Another is that help means giving up gambling forever or being forced into treatment. In reality, the helpline simply shares information and options, and you decide what to do.

A third myth is that people should handle it alone. Support makes change easier, and NCPG emphasizes that social support and encouragement are an important part of changing gambling habits. A fourth is that only the person gambling needs support, when families often benefit from it as well.

Practical Next Steps

If you are not sure where to start, begin with a single contact. Call, text or chat with the national helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET and ask what is available near you. Write down one question you want answered, such as how to find a meeting, how to find a counselor or how to support a family member.

If you would like a break while you decide, a time-out or self-exclusion can add some distance. If you are worried about someone else, consider contacting Gam-Anon or the helpline for yourself first. And if you feel unsafe at any point, call or text 988.

What to Read Next

To understand more, read about the warning signs of problem gambling or learn how self-exclusion works. For everyday habits that help you stay in control, see what responsible gambling means and how gambling limits work.

Whatever you choose, help is available at every stage, and each step you take counts, however small.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources & References

• National Council on Problem Gambling — About the National Problem Gambling Helpline
• National Council on Problem Gambling — Helpline Home
• National Council on Problem Gambling — Gambling Treatment Facilities
• National Council on Problem Gambling — FAQs: What is Problem Gambling?
• National Council on Problem Gambling — Gambling Assessment Manual
• Gamblers Anonymous — Home
• Gamblers Anonymous — US In-person Meetings
• Gam-Anon International Service Office
• SAMHSA — National Helpline
• American Psychiatric Association — What is Gambling Disorder?
• PubMed Central — Cognitive-behavioral treatment for gambling harm: Umbrella review and meta-analysis
• PubMed Central — Gambling-related suicides and suicidality: A systematic review of qualitative evidence
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline