Peer Support Gambling

Members of our online peer support community have collated a list of strategies they recommend to help you take control of your gambling. We've collected a selection of their tips below.

Our community is made up of almost 9500 Australians. The My Story area is a space for those concerned about their own gambling to share stories, experiences and support. It’s made up of people with different personal goals, from cutting down, completing 100 days gamble-free, to quitting gambling altogether. Our members are all at different stages of their journey — from people who feel strong after years of not gambling to those who are beginning to recognise an issue, and everywhere in between.

Gam-Anon is peer support for family members and friends of people with gambling problems. It helps them cope, stop blaming themselves for the person’s gambling problems, and focus on their own health and well-being. Peer Aid is designed, developed and delivered by individuals with lived experience of gambling harms. The service will be able to provide both one to one and group support to complement the support and treatment you receive with GamCare. Gambling addiction—also known as pathological gambling, compulsive gambling or gambling disorder—is an impulse-control disorder. If you’re a compulsive gambler, you can’t control the impulse to gamble, even when it has negative consequences for you or your loved ones.

Together, they have created the following list of their own tried and tested tips to make change.

Forgive yourself

Take it a day a time.

Getting through an urge

Count backwards from 300. “It sounds really simple and probably a bit unlikely... But it really worked... It's surprising.”

Protect your money

Open up another bank account and only put a limited amount in it; or
Give someone control of your money: “Having someone manage ALL my money has been my saving grace. There have been lots of times I've wanted to gamble but with super strict access to money it was not an option.

Try new hobbies

“It doesn’t sound like much and really takes a lot of effort to get motivated till it becomes second nature”, “definitely taking up new or old hobbies is a must.”

Get in the kitchen

Buy ingredients you’ve never bought before and try new recipes.

Spend time in the garden

Buy yourself some plants and keep busy with them.

Read

“I read and read and read in my first 8-9 months gamble free. I think I read something like 40 books or more.”

Spend time with your loved ones

“I robbed my family of time spent gambling so I've been paying them back by spending much more valuable time with them”.

Know your triggers

For example, if you're into sports betting, be cautious of visiting websites ‘just to look at odds’, and consider cutting back on watching sports.

If you're thinking about making steps to change your gambling, you can read more about Change strategies or join the community today.

Supporting You Through Shared Experience

GamCare and Betknowmore UK are piloting a new peer support service for those affected by gambling harms across London and the South East. This service is called Peer Aid.

Gambling problems and dependency can create challenging and complex issues in someone’s life – you may experience relationship issues, impacts on your finances and on your mental and physical health.

Many clients have fed back to GamCare that a key part of their journey of recovery is connecting with others in similar situations in order to share experiences and support one another.

Peer Aid is designed, developed and delivered by individuals with lived experience of gambling harms. The service will be able to provide both one to one and group support to complement the support and treatment you receive with GamCare.

Gambling Peer Support

The Peer Aid team are on hand to make sure you get the most from your treatment plan, have the chance to address your specific concerns, and build a strong foundation for recovery going forward. Peer Aid is focused on inspiring hope for those starting their journey of recovery.

Support will be offered before, during and after treatment through GamCare services in London and we hope to offer this service in other areas soon. Get in touch with the team to register for support now: 020 7801 7008 or [email protected]

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