Free, confidential help is always available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET or chat online with the National Problem Gambling Helpline.
A few signs are worth taking seriously: betting more than you planned, chasing losses, borrowing to play, or hiding it from people close to you. You don’t have to be in crisis to reach out.
Getting Help Now
The National Council on Problem Gambling runs the National Problem Gambling Helpline. There are three ways to reach it:
- Call 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738).
- Text 1-800-MY-RESET.
- Chat online at ncpgambling.org/chat.
It’s free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day, every day, across all 50 states. The helpline can refer you to support near you. You can also reach it at 1-800-522-4700. Use whichever way feels easiest.
Several states also run their own helplines. Our state pages list the number for each state, if you’d rather call someone close to home. Self-exclusion, covered below, is a separate step you can take with your state.
Self-Exclusion in Your State
Self-exclusion is a request to your state regulator to bar you from licensed gambling sites and venues for a fixed period.
A few things about it are easy to get wrong. First, the state runs it, not the operator, so it isn’t tied to one brand. Second, the periods vary by state. One year, five years, and lifetime are the most common options. Third, you normally can’t undo it before the period ends.
Each state page carries the official enrollment route for that state. Start with our state guides, or see our regulators hub to find the agency that runs your state’s program.
Limits You Can Set First
You don’t have to wait until self-exclusion feels necessary. Licensed operators offer controls you can set yourself, though which ones vary. Common ones include:
- deposit limits by day, week, or month
- session time limits and reminders
- cooling-off periods that lock your account for a short time
- loss limits, where the operator offers them
You’ll find these in your account settings. If you raise a limit later, the increase usually waits out a delay first. A lower limit takes effect immediately.
We record which of these tools each operator actually provides, and the operator review shows it. Our methodology explains how that is checked.
