GamCare: Increasing numbers seeking support for gambling losses as reported debts reach over £5m since January

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• Number of people seeking financial guidance since start of 2025 already higher than whole of last year.
• Over £5m in gambling debts reported since January, almost double compared to whole of 2024.
• June, July, August months see doubling of registrations year-on-year.

More people are seeking support with their finances due to gambling-related financial problems, according to the support charity GamCare.

According to new data, the number of registrations to the charity’s Money Guidance Service in 2025 has already surpassed the total number of referrals through the whole of 2024, with 1,151 people having been referred into the service since January, up from 923 people over the whole of 2024.

Additionally, June, July and August this year have all seen a doubling or more of referrals when compared with the same months last year, with August showing the highest number for any month on record with 198 referrals.*

Those who have entered the service since January this year have reported collective debts of over £5.3m in total, an average of £4,682 per person. The total amount of debt reported in the first eight months of this year has almost doubled compared to the entire of last year, when it stood at over £2.8 million across the entire year.

The charity is particularly concerned about incidents where people are using business funds to gamble and incurring high levels of debt, reaching millions of pounds in some cases. There is also concern for people struggling financially who are looking to cover essential bills through gambling winnings.

GamCare is the founder of the National Gambling Helpline, a 24/7, 365-day-a-year helpline that anyone can receive free, confidential support for gambling harms.

The charity established the Money Guidance Service in 2022 to support people with the financial impact that gambling harm can lead to, which people can access for free when calling the National Gambling Helpline.

Since the beginning of 2024, practitioners in the service have also helped people identify over £60,000 in unclaimed benefits as opportunities to help improve their financial situation.

Kathy Wade, Money Guidance Service Manager, commented: “We often hear from people who struggle with gambling that it doesn’t feel like real money they are betting with. A lot of the people we see are young men who are looking for big financial wins either through gambling or even cryptocurrency investing, but it can lead to riskier behaviours around these activities.

“It is especially difficult for people who look to gambling to make extra money for their daily household costs, which continue to feel squeezed by rising pressures. We know that many people gamble safely, but we would not encourage anyone to gamble with the goal of making extra money to cover their essential bills.

“Our team are here for anyone who may be unsure of the financial impact that gambling may be having on them, whether their own gambling or someone else’s. Contact GamCare’s National Gambling Helpline now on 0808 8020 133 for more information on how you can get started, and we can help you get back on track.”

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