Resources for Families Affected by Problem Gambling in the UK

Problem gambling is rarely contained to the individual who gambles. Partners, parents, children, and siblings all experience the effects — the financial strain, the broken trust, the anxiety of not knowing what's happening, and the exhaustion of living alongside someone whose behaviour you can't predict or control. This page is for you: the people around someone with a gambling problem.

You Are Not Alone — and You Need Support Too

Research by GamCare and BeGambleAware consistently finds that for every person with a serious gambling problem, an average of six to ten people close to them are significantly affected. That means hundreds of thousands of people in the UK are living with the impact of someone else's gambling — and the majority receive no support of their own.

Seeking support for yourself is not selfish, and it is not a betrayal of the person you love. Understanding what's happening, getting proper advice, and having someone to talk to makes you better placed to help — and means you don't lose yourself in the process.

The Financial Impact — and What to Do About It

Gambling-related financial harm to families can range from depleted savings to serious debt, remortgaged homes, and legal action from creditors. If you are experiencing financial crisis:

If you have joint finances with someone gambling problematically, consider speaking to your bank about separating accounts or setting up independent savings. This is a protective measure, not a punitive one.

Protecting Children in the Household

If children are living in the home, the impact of parental or carer gambling can be significant — including anxiety, disrupted routines, exposure to adult stress, and in severe cases neglect (not through intention but through preoccupation). The NSPCC and social services can provide guidance without this necessarily triggering formal proceedings. If you are a parent worried about the impact on your children, you can contact:

• NSPCC helpline: 0808 800 5000 — for parents and carers concerned about children's welfare
• Childline: 0800 1111 — for children and young people directly
• Family Lives: 0808 800 2222 — parenting and family support

Support Organisations for Family Members

The following organisations provide dedicated support for people affected by someone else's gambling:

GamFam: GamCare's Dedicated Family Service

GamCare launched GamFam specifically to address the gap in support for people affected by someone else's gambling. Through GamFam, you can access:

• Free counselling sessions — individual, not couple sessions, so you can speak freely
• A moderated online forum where you can connect with others in similar situations
• Practical information about how to manage finances, have difficult conversations, and find help for the gambler

GamFam is reached through the main GamCare number (0808 8020 133) or via their website. You do not need the gambler's involvement or permission to access these services.

Gam-Anon: Peer Support for Families

Gam-Anon is the family programme of Gamblers Anonymous UK. It runs regular meetings — both online and in person across the UK — for family members and close friends of problem gamblers. Like Gamblers Anonymous itself, it follows a 12-step model and is based on shared experience and mutual support.

Many family members find Gam-Anon particularly valuable because the people in the room understand from the inside what you're describing. The isolation of living with problem gambling — the secrecy, the shame, the sense that nobody could understand — is directly addressed by meeting others who have lived it.

Meeting listings are available at gamblersanonymous.org.uk.

Looking After Your Own Mental Health

Living alongside problem gambling is a recognised source of significant psychological stress. Partners in particular often experience:

• Chronic anxiety about finances and the gambler's behaviour
• Depression and loss of self-esteem
• Post-traumatic stress symptoms after financial or relational crises
• Difficulty trusting their own judgment (sometimes called "gaslighting" effects)

Your GP can refer you to counselling or therapy independently of whether the person gambling seeks help. You are entitled to support in your own right. Be explicit about the gambling context when you speak to your GP — it helps them understand the full picture.

What You Cannot Do

This may be the hardest part of this page to read: you cannot make someone else change. You can set boundaries, offer support, remove enabling behaviours, and make clear what you need — but the decision to seek help belongs to the person gambling, and it cannot be forced.

What you can do is:

• Be consistent in what you say and what you do
• Protect yourself financially and emotionally
• Access your own support, regardless of what the gambler does
• Make sure the gambler knows help is available, without constantly pushing
• Decide what your limits are, and honour them

Recovery for your family member is possible. But your wellbeing matters too — and it shouldn't be contingent on their choices.