Help in NSW

While there are numerous outlets for people to get help once they feel their gambling habits are starting to get a bit out of hand, one of the best places to look is Gambling Help.

Gambling Help is a free, confidential service that assists problem gamblers and their families in NSW, and includes a range of counselling and self-help options that can be accessed by phone, online and face-to-face.

All Gambling Help services have a common goal: to provide support, advice and encouragement to help people understand and overcome problem gambling.

Gambling Help runs a phone service that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is staffed by people who understand how difficult it can be to try to get gambling under control. They’re not there to judge or tell you that what you’re doing is wrong. They’re there to listen and, when you’re ready, they’re there to provide helpful, practical tips and information.

Gambling Help is run by the NSW Government and thus:

• Completely confidential. You won’t have to give your name if you don’t want to and the call won’t show up on your landline bill (though it will appear on mobile phone accounts).
• Free of charge for landlines and available as many times as you want to use it.
• A source of useful free print information, such as a practical workbook.
• A service that can advise you about the process of excluding yourself from your usual gambling venues.
• A service that can refer you to face-to-face support services near you, and tell you what to expect if you decide to try them out.

There are face-to-face Gambling Help services available from over 200 locations throughout NSW.