Gambling can start as a way to unwind from business pressure, but it can quickly become something that drains your money, time and focus. If you're running your own business or working for yourself, the stakes feel higher — lost income hits your livelihood directly, and the stress of hiding it from clients, staff or your accountant makes it worse. This page is about recognising when gambling has stopped being entertainment, setting the limits that actually work, and finding real support.
Behaviour that should worry you
Some patterns are worth paying attention to. You might find yourself gambling to escape thinking about cash flow problems or a difficult client situation. You might lose track of time, forget to eat, or keep gambling after telling yourself you'll stop in five minutes. You might hide how much you've spent, or feel a knot in your stomach when you think about checking your account balance.
Chasing losses is a particular trap for people who understand risk and probability — you think the next bet will recover what you've lost, and the only thing that stops you is running out of money. If you're borrowing to gamble, gambling with money set aside for tax, or using your business account to fund personal gambling, the harm is moving from personal difficulty into a threat to your business itself.
Gambling can also be a way of coping with something else — depression, anxiety, or the isolation of self-employment. If you notice you're gambling more when you're stressed, lonely or struggling with a big decision, that's worth taking seriously. The gambling feels like relief in the moment, but it's making the underlying problem harder to solve.
A short self-check
These questions are not a diagnosis. They're a way of testing whether now might be a good time to talk to someone or make a change:
- Have you gambled with money you knew you couldn't afford to lose?
- Have you felt unable to stop gambling, or stopped and then started again?
- Has gambling caused conflict with someone you're close to, or with your staff?
- Have you lied about how much you gamble or how much you've lost?
- Do you gamble to escape from worry about your business or finances?
- Has gambling affected your sleep, your ability to concentrate on work, or your mood?
If you've answered yes to more than one, reaching out for help is worth doing soon — not when things get worse, but now, while you've still got options and while your business is still stable enough to recover.
Deposit and time controls
Gambling sites licensed by the Gambling Commission must offer you tools to control your gambling. These are not magic — you have to set them and stick to them — but they work by making it harder to act on impulse.
A deposit limit caps how much you can pay in during a set period (usually a day, a week or a month). Set it to an amount that genuinely hurts — small enough that you'd notice it, not so small that you're tempted to break it. Write the number down somewhere outside the gambling site. The point is that once you hit the limit, you cannot deposit more, no matter what you're feeling.
A time-out is a break you can set for yourself — usually 6 hours to 7 days — after which your account locks. You cannot log in, cannot gamble, cannot "just have a quick look". You can set one whenever you want. It's useful when you feel the urge building and you know you need to step away.
Self-exclusion is different: it blocks you from that site for 6 months or longer. You can renew it when it expires, but you cannot reverse it early. It's for when you've decided you're not going back. Many people find it helps because the decision is made — there's no "just this once", because access is gone.
The national tools that already exist
GamStop is a free national register that blocks you from all gambling sites licensed in Great Britain at once. You set the exclusion period (6 months to 5 years), and for that time, no licensed site can let you open an account or use one you already have. It's powerful because you don't have to make the same decision repeatedly on every site you've ever joined.
Blocking software works differently. Gamban and BetBlocker are programmes you install on your phone, laptop or tablet. They block access to gambling sites at the device level — the site itself cannot load. Gamban is a paid subscription; BetBlocker is free and works on multiple devices. Both are useful if you want to stay off gambling sites entirely but keep your phone or computer for work and everything else.
If you share a device with someone else — a laptop with your partner, a tablet the household uses — parental-control software such as Net Nanny or Qustodio can restrict access to gambling sites without giving either of you the ability to remove the block alone. It means the decision to block is made together and cannot be undone in a moment of weakness.
Taking a break or getting help
Getting professional support is not a last resort — it's something to do as soon as you recognise the pattern. The earlier you talk to someone, the more options you have and the less damage has been done.
The National Gambling Helpline is free and confidential. You can call 0808 8020 133 at any time, day or night. They listen, they don't judge, and they can help you think through what to do next. GamCare also runs a helpline through the same number and offers online support.
If you want something longer-term or more intensive, Gordon Moody offers both residential and online treatment for people dealing with gambling harm. They understand the specific pressures of self-employment and business ownership.
BeGambleAware is a free service offering confidential support and information. You can contact them at begambleaware.org.
Talking to someone close to you — your partner, a friend, someone you trust — is also real support, even if they cannot fix it. The shame and secrecy is often worse than the problem itself. Many people find that saying it out loud, to someone who knows them, makes it possible to ask for help.
18+
Online gambling is for people aged 18 and over. If someone under 18 is using a device you share, blocking software and parental controls help protect them from accidental or deliberate access to gambling sites.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a time-out and self-exclusion?
A time-out is a temporary break you can set for yourself, lasting from hours to days, after which your account automatically unlocks and you can log back in. Self-exclusion is a longer block — typically 6 months or more — that you set when you've decided not to gamble, and you cannot reverse it early. Time-outs are for pausing; self-exclusion is for stopping.
Does GamStop stop me gambling on unlicensed sites?
No. GamStop blocks only sites licensed by the Gambling Commission (those legal in Great Britain). Unlicensed sites operate outside that system and GamStop cannot reach them. If you're trying to stop gambling entirely, blocking software such as Gamban or BetBlocker is more complete because it blocks sites at your device level, licensed or not.
Can I set a deposit limit across multiple gambling sites at once?
No. Deposit limits are set on each site individually, so you have to do it on every site where you have an account. That is why GamStop is useful — it locks you out of all licensed sites rather than making you manage limits on each one. If you're trying to reduce harm, setting the same limit on every site you use, and writing it down outside the site, helps you remember and stick to it.
Is calling the helpline completely confidential?
Yes. The National Gambling Helpline (0808 8020 133) and the organisations behind it — GamCare and BeGambleAware — operate in confidence. They will not contact your bank, your business, your staff or anyone else. The call is free, and the number does not appear on your phone bill in a way that identifies who you called.
If I set a time-out, can I reverse it if an urgent business need comes up?
No. A time-out cannot be reversed early — that is the point of it. The account stays locked until the time you set has passed. If you find yourself tempted to set a very short time-out so you can get back in quickly, that is worth noticing; it might be time to try self-exclusion instead, or to talk to someone.
What should I do if I've already gambled money that my business needs?
This is urgent and worth addressing directly. If it's VAT money, money for payroll, or money for a supplier invoice, your business is at legal and financial risk. Contact your accountant or a business advisor as soon as possible — they understand these situations and can help you work out what to do next. Talking to someone is the first step; the second is getting practical help with the money problem itself.