Free, confidential help for gambling problems is available across Australia 24 hours a day. The central service is the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858, part of Gambling Help Online, which connects you to counselling by phone, chat or email and to face-to-face services in your state. You do not need to be in crisis, have a particular score on a questionnaire, or have stopped gambling to use it.

This page lists the main national services, what each one does, and how to choose between them.

National Services at a Glance

Service	Contact	Hours	What it offers
Gambling Help Online / National Gambling Helpline	1800 858 858; chat and email at gamblinghelponline.org.au	24/7	Gambling counselling for people who gamble and people affected by someone else’s gambling; referral to local services
Lifeline	13 11 14	24/7	Crisis support and suicide prevention
Suicide Call Back Service	1300 659 467	24/7	Counselling for people at risk of suicide and those affected
Beyond Blue	1300 22 4636	24/7	Support for anxiety, depression and mental health
National Debt Helpline	1800 007 007	Business hours	Free financial counselling, including gambling-related debt
13YARN	13 92 76	24/7	Crisis support by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
MensLine Australia	1300 78 99 78	24/7	Counselling for men
Kids Helpline	1800 55 1800	24/7	Counselling for young people aged 5 to 25
1800RESPECT	1800 737 732	24/7	Domestic, family and sexual violence support
Emergency	000	24/7	Immediate danger

Gambling Help Online in Detail

Gambling Help Online is funded by Australian governments. It offers:

• phone counselling on 1800 858 858;
• 24/7 online chat with a gambling counsellor;
• email counselling;
• self-help tools and information, free to use;
• support for family members and friends, not only the person gambling;
• referral to face-to-face counselling, financial counselling and specialist services in each state and territory.

Counselling is free and confidential. You can stay anonymous on chat. BetStop and the Department of Social Services both direct people to this service.

State and Territory Services

Each state and territory funds local gambling help services that offer face-to-face counselling, group programs and venue self-exclusion. Gambling Help Online lists local services for every state and territory, and calling 1800 858 858 connects you to the service for where you live. Some services offer specialist support for young people, culturally and linguistically diverse communities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Ask about these options on the first call.

What a First Call Looks Like

1. A counsellor asks what prompted you to get in touch. You can share as much or as little as you want.
2. They may ask about how often you gamble, what it costs and how it affects you.
3. Together you agree on next steps: a follow-up session, practical tools such as limits or self-exclusion, financial counselling, or a referral.
4. You can call back any time, including after a relapse.

Financial Counselling

Gambling debt is one of the most common reasons people seek help. Financial counsellors are free and independent. Through the National Debt Helpline they can:

• help you work out what you owe and prioritise bills;
• negotiate with lenders and utilities for hardship arrangements;
• explain options if debts are unmanageable;
• help set up practical controls, such as a separate account for essentials.

The Australian Government announced expanded specialised financial counselling for people experiencing gambling harm as part of its 2026 reforms. Ask Gambling Help Online for a gambling-specialist financial counsellor in your area.

Mental Health Support

Gambling problems often occur alongside anxiety, depression or alcohol use. The AIHW reports that at-risk gambling is associated with lower life satisfaction, poorer mental health, high alcohol consumption and financial stress. Your GP can assess you, refer you to a psychologist and prepare a mental health treatment plan for Medicare-subsidised sessions. See gambling and mental health.

Peer Support

Gamblers Anonymous runs free peer-support meetings in Australian cities and online. Partners and family members can attend family groups. Peer groups work alongside counselling rather than replacing it.

Practical Tools to Use With Support

Tool	What it does	Guide
BetStop	Excludes you from all licensed Australian online and phone betting	BetStop
Venue self-exclusion	Excludes you from pubs, clubs and casinos	Self-exclusion
Bank gambling block	Declines card payments to gambling merchants	Blocking tools
Blocking software	Blocks gambling websites and apps on devices	Blocking software
Deposit limits	Caps spending at each site	Setting limits

If You Are Supporting Someone Else

You can call 1800 858 858 for yourself, even if the person gambling does not want help. Counsellors can help you protect your finances, plan a conversation and look after your own wellbeing. See helping a family member.

If You Used Offshore Casinos

Counselling services help regardless of where you gambled. Offshore casinos are not covered by BetStop, so a counsellor can help you plan for each site you use: account closure, the casino’s self-exclusion and device blocks. Background: offshore casinos and Australian law.

Main page: responsible gambling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Help is available whenever you need it: call 1800 858 858 any time, day or night. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000. Gambling is for adults 18+ only.