Is Controlling Gambling Addiction Possible? Signs, Treatment and Where to Get Help

By Jason Thompson · Updated 16 October 2026

Need to talk to someone now? In the UK, call the National Gambling Helpline free on 0808 8020 133 (24/7). In the USA, call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738, 24/7). In Australia, the Gambling Helpline is 1800 858 858. Anywhere in the world, Gambling Therapy offers free online support. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, contact your local emergency services straight away.

Quick answer: Yes, a gambling problem can be controlled, and many people recover. Gambling disorder is a recognised health condition, listed by both the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-5) and the World Health Organization (ICD-11). It responds to treatment, especially cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and practical steps such as self-exclusion, blocking software and support groups make it much easier to stop. The hardest part is usually the first step: admitting there’s a problem and telling someone.

Is gambling addiction a real illness?

Yes. The DSM-5, the manual psychiatrists use for diagnosis, classes gambling disorder alongside substance addictions, and it is the only behavioural addiction in that group. The World Health Organization’s ICD-11 lists it as gambling disorder (code 6C50) among disorders due to addictive behaviours. That matters: it means the urge to gamble isn’t simply a lack of willpower, and it can be treated like other health problems.

What are the warning signs of a gambling problem?

Health services describe a similar set of signs. You might have a problem if you:

• Need to bet more and more to get the same excitement.
• Feel restless or irritable when you try to cut down.
• Have tried to stop or cut back and couldn’t.
• Think about gambling a lot: replaying past bets or planning the next one.
• Gamble when you feel stressed, anxious, guilty or low.
• Chase losses, going back to win money back.
• Lie to family or friends about how much you gamble.
• Have put a relationship, job or studies at risk because of gambling.
• Rely on others to bail you out of money problems caused by gambling.

These nine points closely follow the DSM-5 criteria. Clinicians diagnose gambling disorder when someone shows four or more of them within 12 months, and rate it mild (4–5), moderate (6–7) or severe (8–9). This list is for awareness, not self-diagnosis: if several sound familiar, talk to a doctor or a gambling support service. For a quick, private screen, take our free 9-question problem gambling test, built on the published PGSI questions.

How common is it?

Estimates vary by country and by how surveys are run. In the US, the National Council on Problem Gambling estimates that about 1% of adults (around 2.5 million people) have a severe gambling problem, with another 2–3% experiencing mild or moderate problems. In Great Britain, official surveys using different methods put problem gambling at anywhere from about 0.4% to 2.7% of adults. Whatever the number, many more people are affected as family members, partners and friends.

What treatment works?

Practical steps to take control

• Tell someone. A partner, friend, doctor or helpline. Secrecy keeps the problem going.
• Self-exclude. Licensed casinos offer self-exclusion. In Great Britain, GamStop blocks you from all GB-licensed online gambling sites for 6 months, 1 year or 5 years, for free.
• Install blocking software. BetBlocker is free and run by a charity; Gamban is paid, though some support schemes offer free licences. Both stop gambling sites and apps on your devices.
• Block gambling payments. Some banks let you switch on a gambling block in their app.
• Hand over control of money for a while, and get free debt advice if you owe money.
• Plan for urges. Urges pass. Delay, distract yourself, and call someone. Know your triggers: payday, boredom, stress, a big sports event.
• Expect setbacks. A lapse doesn’t undo your progress. Get back to your plan and your support.

Who can help, and how do you contact them?

You don’t need to be in crisis to ask for help, and you don’t need to have decided to stop for good. We checked each service below on its own website. Pick the row that fits where you are now.

When you call, it can help to have a rough idea of how often you gamble, how much you have spent recently and whether you owe money. You don’t have to share anything you’re not ready to. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, contact your local emergency services first.

How can you help someone who gambles too much?

Talk to them calmly when they’re not gambling, focus on how it affects you both rather than blaming, and avoid paying off their debts without a plan, which can keep the cycle going. Protect your own finances. Helplines such as the National Gambling Helpline also support family members, and there are support groups for people affected by someone else’s gambling.

Staying in control if you do gamble

If you gamble without a problem, keep it that way: set a budget you can afford to lose, set time limits, never chase losses, and don’t gamble when you’re upset or drinking. Our responsible gambling page lists tools, limits and helplines by country, and our guide to crash game and Aviator addiction covers the fast games that are most likely to cause trouble. Our gambling budget calculator helps you set those limits, and our list of casino tricks designed to keep you playing shows what to watch out for.

How we checked this

• Gambling disorder is diagnosed when someone meets four or more of nine criteria in 12 months, rated mild (4 to 5), moderate (6 to 7) or severe (8 to 9): DSM-5 table at the NCBI and Nevada Council on Problem Gambling.
• It is the only non-substance addiction in the DSM-5, and the ICD-11 code is 6C50: American Psychiatric Association, PsychDB and ICD-11 code listing.
• About 2.5 million US adults (1%) have a severe gambling problem and 5 to 8 million (2% to 3%) a mild or moderate one: NCPG and New River Valley Community Services.
• Great Britain estimates range from about 0.4% (NHS Health Survey for England) to 2.7% (Gambling Survey for Great Britain): Gambling Commission and European Gaming.
• NICE (January 2025) recommends group CBT, with individual CBT if group therapy isn’t suitable, and naltrexone may be considered when therapy hasn’t worked: British Psychological Society and Learnsignal summary of NG248. No medicine is approved specifically for gambling disorder: APA and Wikipedia.
• NHS England runs 15 specialist gambling services: NHS England and Happiful.
• Every helpline number, website and self-exclusion detail in the help table was checked on the service’s own website, and the National Gambling Helpline and GAMSTOP details also on the NHS website.

Last checked: 13 October 2026, when we checked each fact on this page against at least two independent sources.

Gambling addiction FAQ

Can gambling addiction be cured?

Many people stop gambling for good and rebuild their finances and relationships. Clinicians often talk about recovery rather than cure, because the urge can return in stressful times, but with treatment and support it can be managed.

How do I stop gambling right now?

Tell someone, self-exclude from the sites you use (GamStop in Great Britain), install blocking software, turn on your bank’s gambling block and call a helpline. Making gambling hard to reach gives you time for the urge to pass.

Is gambling disorder recognised by doctors?

Yes. It’s listed in the DSM-5 by the American Psychiatric Association and in the WHO’s ICD-11 (code 6C50).

Where can I get free help?

UK: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133. US: 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738). Australia: 1800 858 858. Worldwide: gamblingtherapy.org and Gamblers Anonymous.