Responsible gambling at 888
If gambling ever stops feeling like entertainment, you're not alone — and there are practical steps you can take right now. 888 offers control tools built into your account, and free, confidential support is available across the UK whenever you need it.
Why this matters
Gambling is designed to be occasional fun, not a daily routine or a way to cover bills. When it starts to feel urgent, when you're chasing losses, or when you're hiding what you've spent, those are signals worth listening to.
The tools on this page exist for exactly that moment — when you notice the pattern changing and want to reset it before it gets worse.
Signs gambling is getting out of hand
Look for these behaviours in yourself, honestly:
- Spending more time or money than you planned, regularly
- Gambling to escape stress, boredom or low mood rather than for enjoyment
- Chasing losses — betting more to try to win back what you've already lost
- Lying to family or friends about how much you gamble or how much you've lost
- Borrowing money, using credit or dipping into savings meant for bills to fund your play
- Neglecting work, relationships or responsibilities because gambling takes priority
If two or more of those feel familiar, it's worth pausing and asking for help.
Questions worth asking yourself
These are not a diagnosis — they're prompts to check in with how gambling fits into your life right now:
- Do you gamble until your money is gone?
- Have you gambled to get money to pay debts or solve financial problems?
- Has gambling made you careless about your own welfare or your family's?
- Do you feel restless or irritable when you try to cut down or stop?
- After losing, do you feel you must return as soon as possible to win back your losses?
- Have you lied to conceal the extent of your gambling?
One "yes" is worth noting. Three or more means it's time to talk to someone who can help.
Control tools we offer
Your 888 account includes limits and restrictions you can set yourself, immediately. Here's what each one does and how long it lasts.
Deposit limits
Set a maximum amount you can deposit per day, per week or per month. Once you hit that ceiling, the system blocks further deposits until the period resets. You can lower a limit instantly; raising one takes 24 hours to take effect, giving you a cooling-off window.
Game time reminders
Choose how long you want to play before the system pauses your session and shows you how much time has passed. This reality check stops the clock from disappearing while you're in a game.
Account history
View your wins and losses for the last 180 days. Seeing the actual numbers — not what you remember winning — can reset your sense of what's really happening.
Reversing withdrawal preferences
Turn off your ability to cancel a pending withdrawal. If you turn it back on, the change takes seven days to go live — a week's friction between an impulse and your money leaving the account.
Take a break
Lock your account for 1 day, 2 days, 7 days, 14 days, 1 month or 6 weeks. You cannot log in or deposit during that time. When the period ends, access restores automatically — but you can extend it before it expires if you need longer.
Self-exclusion
Close your account for at least six months. You cannot reopen it, deposit or play during that period, and we will refuse any attempt to create a new account. This is the strongest internal control we offer.
To set any of these, log into your account and navigate to the responsible gambling section, or email [email protected] and ask for the tool by name.
Practical limits that work
Beyond the account tools, these habits help keep gambling occasional rather than compulsive:
- Decide your spend before you log in. Treat it as the price of entertainment, not an investment you expect back.
- Set a timer on your phone. When it goes off, finish the round you're on and log out — even if you're winning.
- Never gamble on credit. If the money isn't in your current account as disposable cash, it isn't available for betting.
- Take regular breaks. One week off every month, or one month off every quarter, keeps it from becoming the default way you spend free time.
- Track what you actually spend. Write it down somewhere you'll see it — the gap between what you think you've spent and the real total is often the first warning.
Where to get help in the UK
Free, confidential support is available right now, whether you're worried about your own gambling or someone else's.
| Organisation | What they offer | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| GamCare | Free telephone helpline, live chat, email support and local face-to-face counselling across England, Scotland and Wales | gamcare.org.uk — National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133 (24/7, free from landlines and mobiles) |
| BeGambleAware | Information, self-assessment tools and onward referrals to treatment services | begambleaware.org |
| Gordon Moody | Residential treatment programmes and online therapy for people with severe gambling problems | gordonmoody.org.uk |
| GamStop | Free national self-exclusion scheme — register once and you're blocked from all UK-licensed gambling sites for 6 months, 1 year or 5 years | gamstop.co.uk |
Every one of these organisations has helped thousands of people in exactly your position. Reaching out is not an admission of failure — it's the practical first step to getting back in control.
Blocking software
If you want to remove the temptation entirely, install software that blocks access to gambling sites across all your devices:
- Gamban (gamban.com) — blocks gambling sites, apps and advertising across phones, tablets and computers. Paid subscription, cannot be uninstalled easily once active.
- BetBlocker (betblocker.org) — free, open-source blocking tool for desktop and mobile. Covers tens of thousands of gambling domains worldwide.
Both work alongside GamStop and can be set up in under ten minutes.
Protecting minors
You must be 18 or over (18+) to use this site. If you share a device with someone younger, install parental-control software such as Net Nanny or Qustodio to block access to gambling sites entirely. These tools filter content at the network level, so they work even when you're not supervising the device.
Keep login details private, and log out after every session — an open account on a shared device is an invitation a teenager won't always refuse.
Contact us
For questions about the responsible gambling tools on this site, email [email protected]. For account restrictions or self-exclusion requests, contact [email protected] directly — those requests are prioritised and actioned within 24 hours.
Gambling should be entertainment, not a burden. If it stops being fun, step back — the games will still be there if you decide to return, and your wellbeing won't wait.
This site is for players aged 18 and over (18+). If gambling ever stops feeling like entertainment, free and confidential help is available at BeGambleAware.org.
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