Where to Get Help for Problem Gambling
Free, confidential gambling helplines by country, crisis lines, peer groups, and blocking tools that still work with an offshore crypto casino.
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Quick answer
Every service on this page is free, confidential and independent of any casino. None of them needs you to be in crisis, to have stopped gambling, or to be sure you have a problem. Phone numbers and web addresses were checked in October 2026.
Crisis lines for suicidal thoughts
| Country | Service | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline | Call or text 988, 24/7 |
| Canada | 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline | Call or text 9-8-8, 24/7 |
| UK and Ireland | Samaritans | Call 116 123, free, 24/7 |
| Australia | Lifeline | Call 13 11 14, 24/7 |
| New Zealand | 1737 Need to Talk? | Call or text 1737, 24/7 |
| Anywhere else | Find A Helpline | Searchable directory of crisis lines by country |
Gambling support available in any country
Gambling Therapy is the best starting point if your country is not listed below. It is a global service run by the UK charity Gordon Moody, and it offers text-based live support with a trained adviser, moderated forums and self-help material. The site works in more than 35 languages, and advisers can point you to counselling or groups near you where they exist.
Gamblers Anonymous runs free peer meetings, in person and online, in many countries. There is no sign-up, fee or referral. Use the meeting finder to locate one. Meetings suit people who want ongoing contact with others who have been through the same thing, which a single helpline call cannot give.
Gam-Anon is the sister fellowship for partners, parents, children and friends of someone who gambles.
Gambling helplines by country
| Country | Service | Contact | What it offers |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare | 0808 8020 133, free, 24/7 | Advice by phone or live chat, referral into free treatment |
| United Kingdom | NHS gambling clinics | Clinic list and referral routes on the NHS page | Specialist NHS treatment clinics across England |
| United States | National Problem Gambling Helpline, NCPG | Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738), 24/7 | Routes you to your state's helpline, counselling and chat |
| Canada (Ontario) | ConnexOntario | 1-866-531-2600, 24/7 | Gambling, mental health and addiction service referrals |
| Australia | Gambling Help Online | 1800 858 858, 24/7 | Phone, online chat and email counselling |
| New Zealand | Gambling Helpline | 0800 654 655 or text 8006, 24/7 | Phone, text and online support |
| Germany | Check dein Spiel | 0800 1 37 27 00, free | Phone counselling from the federal health education agency; see the site for hours |
Outside Ontario, Canadian provinces run their own gambling lines; Gambling Therapy or Find A Helpline will point you to the right one.
What happens when you contact a helpline
People put the call off because they do not know what they will be asked. In practice:
- An adviser asks what is going on and listens. You choose how much to say, and you do not have to give your name.
- Nobody tells you off, and nobody requires you to promise to stop.
- You will be offered options: one-off advice, a referral to free counselling, a local or online group, help with blocking tools, or support for a family member.
- If money is the immediate pressure, they can refer you to a debt adviser.
If speaking feels like too much, use a text or live chat option. Gambling Therapy, GamCare, the US helpline, Gambling Help Online and the New Zealand helpline all offer one.
Blocking tools that work whichever casino you use
Duel.com is licensed offshore in Anjouan. That has a specific consequence: national self-exclusion registers such as GAMSTOP in Great Britain or BetStop in Australia only bind operators licensed in those countries, so they do not block Duel.com or other offshore crypto casinos. The barriers that do work are the ones on your own devices and money.
| Tool | Cost | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| BetBlocker | Free (UK-registered charity) | Blocks gambling sites and apps on phones and computers for a period you set, from 1 day to 5 years. No registration needed |
| Gamban | Paid subscription with a 7-day trial; £4.99 a month or £29.99 a year in England and Scotland at the time of writing | Blocks gambling sites and apps across all your devices for the length of the subscription |
| Bank gambling block | Free where your bank offers it | Declines card payments to gambling merchants. It does not stop you buying crypto and sending it to a casino |
| Exchange and wallet controls | Free | Withdrawal address allowlists and delays add hours of friction between an urge and a deposit |
After installing a blocker, try to open the casino you use. If the page still loads, report the address to the provider; BetBlocker has a form on its site for checking and reporting unblocked sites. Install the blocker on every device you gamble from, including an old phone in a drawer.
Because bank blocks do not reach crypto deposits, the wallet step matters most for a crypto casino. Deposit and loss limits explains how to set that up, and the self-exclusion guide covers asking Duel.com to close your account.
Help with gambling debt
Debt advice is a separate service from addiction support, and it is worth using both. Free, non-profit debt advisers can deal with creditors and set up repayment plans without judging how the debt arose:
- UK: National Debtline and StepChange
- US: National Foundation for Credit Counseling
- Australia: National Debt Helpline, 1800 007 007
Avoid any company that charges an upfront fee to "clear" gambling debt, and avoid borrowing in crypto to cover losses.
If you are worried about someone else
- Call a helpline for yourself first: advisers support family and friends, not only gamblers
- Say what you have noticed and how it affects you, without accusing
- Do not pay off gambling debts or lend money without a plan in place: it usually funds the next session
- Protect joint money: separate accounts, card limits, and your own access to savings
- Look after your own wellbeing; Gam-Anon meetings exist for exactly this
What Duel.help can and cannot do
Duel.help is an independent help site. We cannot close, exclude or look into a Duel.com account; only Duel.com's own support can do that, through the 24/7 live chat on its site or support@duel.com. What we can do is keep this page accurate. If a number here has changed, tell us through the contact page.
Not sure whether what you are experiencing counts as a problem? The warning signs guide includes the short screening questions that clinicians use.
Frequently asked questions
Is a gambling helpline really confidential?
Yes. The helplines listed here are run by charities, health services or government-funded networks, not by casinos. They do not report callers to gambling operators, employers or banks, and you can usually stay anonymous. If privacy matters to you, each service publishes its confidentiality policy on its own website.
Do I have to stop gambling before I call?
No. Helpline advisers talk to people at every stage: unsure whether there is a problem, trying to cut down, or in the middle of a bad night. You do not need a diagnosis, a referral or a plan. Calling early, before debts build, gives you more options.
Does GAMSTOP block Duel.com?
No. GAMSTOP only covers gambling sites licensed in Great Britain, and Duel.com operates under an offshore Anjouan licence, so no national self-exclusion register applies to it. To block it you need device-level software such as BetBlocker or Gamban, plus an exclusion request sent to Duel.com support.
Is there free software that blocks gambling sites?
Yes. BetBlocker is a free tool from a UK-registered charity that blocks gambling sites and apps on phones and computers for a period you choose, from one day to five years. Gamban does a similar job as a paid subscription. Neither depends on the casino cooperating.
Can I get help if someone else's gambling is affecting me?
Yes. Gambling Therapy, GamCare and the other national helplines all support family members and friends as well as gamblers, and Gam-Anon runs peer meetings specifically for people affected by someone else's gambling. You do not need the gambler's permission to ask for advice for yourself.
Is help for crypto gambling different from other gambling help?
The support is the same; the practical barriers differ. Counsellors treat crypto casino problems like any other gambling problem. The difference is that bank gambling blocks and national exclusion registers do not reach crypto casinos, so blocking software and controls on your wallet or exchange account matter more.
Duel.help Editorial Team
Independent research & documentation
The Duel.help editorial team researches, writes and maintains independent documentation for Duel.com users. Every guide is reviewed against publicly available information and updated as things change.
- Published
- Last reviewed
Independent and unaffiliated with Duel.com. Read our editorial policy to see how these guides are researched and reviewed.
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