The Northern Rivers Gambling Counselling Service (NRGCS) is a community outreach program providing Gambling HELP services for residents of the NSW Northern Rivers Region. We offer free counselling and support services for people affected by gambling related problems, to reduce the negative impact of gambling on their lives. Gambling Help NSW is a free, confidential service that assists gamblers and their families in NSW. It includes a range of therapeutic, financial counselling, and support services that can be accessed by phone, online, and face-to-face. All services are free and confidential. Saad tells me his story at the Arabic Council in Bankstown in Sydney's west where he's receiving counselling for a gambling addiction that has cost him about $200,000. Liverpool Catholic Club.

Gambling Help NSW is a free, confidential service that assists gamblers and their families in NSW and operates in over 200 locations across the state. It includes a range of therapeutic and financial counselling and support services that can be accessed by phone, online and face-to-face. All services are free and confidential.

Gambling Help services in NSW

Gambling Help NSW provides a range of counselling and support services. In addition to gambling counselling, support services include financial counselling, legal support, CALD and Aboriginal-specific support and women’s counselling.

To find a counselling service near you in NSW, visit the interactive map on the Gambling Help NSW website or call 1800 858 858.

Gambling Help NSW is:

• Free and confidential
• Available face-to-face, via telephone or videoconference
• Available in over 40 languages
• A source of useful information and strategies to reduce or stop gambling or assist your loved one
• Able to support you through the counselling process and self-exclusion from gambling venues

For support in your preferred language, you can contact the Multicultural Problem Gambling Service on 1800 856 800 or visit the Gambling Help NSW website for a list of culturally specific gambling counselling providers.

Aboriginal people can access free advice and help on 1800 752 948. Support is also available from Warruwi Gambling Help and Aboriginal counsellors. For more information visit the Warruwi Gambling Help page.

Sydney Women’s Counselling Centre provides a gambling help counselling program for women. Call (02) 9718 1955 to find out more and make an appointment.

Legal help is also available to anyone who has a legal issue as a result of gambling. The NSW legal help team can provide free legal advice for gambling related matters or can take on your case. You can make an appointment for a phone or face-to-face consultation by contacting Wesley Community Legal Service by phone on 0429 552 733 or email at Legalhelp@wesleymission.org.au.

Gambling Help services are funded by the Responsible Gambling Fund on behalf of the NSW Government.

Bar yourself from a venue (self-exclusion)

Self-exclusion is a program that enables people to bar themselves from entering hotels, clubs and casinos in NSW or just the gaming areas of the nominated venue/s. It is a requirement that all NSW venue operators have a self-exclusion program.

You do not need to approach a venue directly to enter into a self-exclusion agreement. For support with the self-exclusion process, you can speak to a Gambling Help counsellor near you. To locate a counsellor, visit the Gambling Help website.

In addition, Clubs NSW operates the ClubSAFE multi venue self-exclusion system on behalf of clubs and hotels in NSW. You enter the program through your local Gambling Help service or by visiting your local venue. More information can be found on the Clubs NSW website.

For self-exclusion from The Star Sydney, you can speak to a Gambling Help counsellor or you can contact The Star’s Patron Liaison Manager on 9657 7645.

More information

For more information, you can call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelp.nsw.gov.au.

Being a compulsive gambler can harm your health and relationships, and leave you in serious debt.

If you have a problem with gambling and you'd like to stop, support and treatment is available.

Are you a problem gambler?

Try this questionnaire:

• Do you bet more than you can afford to lose?
• Do you need to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling?
• Have you tried to win back money you have lost (chasing losses)?
• Have you borrowed money or sold anything to get money to gamble?
• Have you wondered whether you have a problem with gambling?
• Has your gambling caused you any health problems, including feelings of stress or anxiety?
• Have other people criticised your betting or told you that you had a gambling problem (regardless of whether or not you thought it was true)?
• Has your gambling caused any financial problems for you or your household?
• Have you ever felt guilty about the way you gamble or what happens when you gamble?

Score 0 for each time you answer 'never'
Score 1 for each time you answer 'sometimes'
Score 2 for each time you answer 'most of the time'
Score 3 for each time you answer 'almost always'

If your total score is 8 or higher, you may be a problem gambler.

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Help for problem gamblers

There's evidence that gambling can be successfully treated in the same way as other addictions. Cognitive behavioural therapy usually has the best results.

Treatment and support groups are available for people who want to stop gambling:

GamCareGamCare offers free information, support and counselling for problem gamblers in the UK.

It runs the National Gambling Helpline (0808 8020 133) and also offers face-to-face counselling.

National Problem Gambling Clinic If you live in England or Wales, are aged 13 or over and have complex problems related to gambling, you can refer yourself to this specialist NHS clinic for problem gamblers.

See if you meet the criteria for this service.

Gordon Moody Association The Gordon Moody Association offers residential courses for men and women who have problems with gambling – email help@gordonmoody.org.uk or call 01384 241292 to find out more.

It also runs the Gambling Therapy website, which offers online support to problem gamblers and their friends and family.

Gamblers Anonymous UKGamblers Anonymous UK runs local support groups that use the same 12-step approach to recovery from addiction as Alcoholics Anonymous. There are also GamAnon support groups for friends and family.

Self-help tips for problem gamblers

Do:

• pay important bills, such as your mortgage, on payday before you gamble
• spend more time with family and friends who don't gamble
• deal with your debts rather than ignoring them – visit the National Debtline for tips

Don't:

• view gambling as a way to make money – try to see it as entertainment instead
• bottle up your worries about your gambling – talk to someone
• take credit cards with you when you go gambling

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For more self-help tips, see the Royal College of Psychiatrists website.

If you're affected by someone's gambling

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If you're having problems because of another person's gambling, it's best to be honest with them about it. They need to know how their behaviour is affecting you.

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Support is also available to people who are worried about someone else's gambling:

GamCare Gamcare offers support and information for partners, friends and family of people who gamble compulsively.

GamAnon
Local support groups for anyone affected by someone else's gambling problem – find your nearest group.

Real stories of recovery from gambling

Tell your own story and post messages of support in the GamCare recovery diaries forum.

Page last reviewed: 31 December 2017
Next review due: 31 December 2020