Support this festive season

Christmas, while fun- and laughter-filled for many, may not always be as carefree as we would like.

For someone in the grip of a gambling problem, and their loved ones, the festive season could be strained – along with relationships, finances and mental wellbeing.

A gambling problem can affect people in different ways, but many of the people we hear from have not spoken to anyone about what they’re going through. Christmas can be one of the times of year which brings feelings that have been simmering for some time to the surface, (good and bad), but that can be tough if you’ve hidden something which is potentially having such an intense impact on your life. Your loved ones will undoubtedly realise that something isn’t quite right, even if they haven’t been able to put their finger on quite what…

For someone in the grip of a gambling problem it can also be a tempting time to turn to gambling, perhaps with the hope of ‘making things right again’. Ultimately, it’s important to recognise that gambling will never be able to do that, for anyone.

GamCare understands the pressure that the festive season can create, and that’s why the National Gambling HelpLine is available every day of the year, along with our daily chatrooms and our Forum which can help you connect to others in similar situations and share support with one another. Our support is also available for family and friends who are concerned – we support everyone individually.

Our Advisers are trained to support you, and the National Gambling HelpLine is available every day of the year. They can give you practical and emotional support, and help you figure out what your next steps might be. Contact us anytime for free on 0808 8020 133 or via web chat.

We also have a self-paced workbook available, designed to help you change your relationship with gambling.

Reach out if you need us – no matter where you are in your journey, we can help you figure out what comes next, all you need to do is ask.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas, and all the very best for the New Year.