GamCare
Confidential, non-judgemental support and access to free self-help resources.
Changing your relationship with gambling
What to do if you’re worried about how much you gamble
When gambling starts to become a problem, it can affect every area of your life. Nigel found himself gradually placing more and more bets and it started to affect his family’s finances.
Read about how getting the right support helped Nigel make some positive changes. If you’re in a similar situation, you’re not alone – we’re here to help you.
Nigel’s story
When Nigel first started gambling and had a few big wins, he enjoyed himself and thought the winning streak would last.
But when he stopped winning, he increased his bets to cover what he’d lost. He soon started to lose interest in spending time with his friends and family, and even took days off work to gamble more.
Nigel started missing bill payments and getting charged, which meant there was less money for his family each month. This meant extra pressure at home, and he felt guilty about how his gambling affected his family.
Realising something had to change, Nigel got in touch with a local gambling support charity for help. They suggested finding out if we had tools to support him.
Nigel’s next steps
Nigel has a Barclays Partner Finance loan but is also a Barclays Bank customer
Nigel downloaded the Barclays app1 and used the merchant control feature to turn off card payments to gambling websites, apps and betting shops. This control has a cooling-off period – if he wants to restart his spending, he’ll need to wait 72 hours before he can do this.
Nigel also set a spending and cash withdrawal limit on his cards to help him feel in control of his finances again.
To help him keep his family finances on track, Nigel used the spending feature in the app. It showed him exactly where his money was going and helped him set realistic budgets.
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- As soon as you’re paid, make a budget and set aside the money you’ll need for your bills, rent or mortgage payments, food, travel and household essentials
- Don’t ask your family or friends to lend you money, as this could make it easier to gamble beyond your means
- It may help to hand over temporary control of your finances to someone you trust – like your partner, a close friend or a family member – while you seek specialist support for your gambling. Think carefully about whether this person would be at risk if the urge to gamble was particularly strong
- Ask your bank to block payments made to gambling companies from your debit card, or set up a gambling block yourself in the Barclays app1
- Speak to your bank about setting up a daily cash withdrawal limit
- Use the Debt Advice Locator tool for free and independent advice. Don’t ignore the situation, as this will only cause you more anxiety in the long run
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- If your loved one’s gambling is negatively affecting household finances, ask them to make a budget with you. They might not realise how much they’re spending on gambling, or how it’s affecting other financial commitments, so creating a budget can be a good reality check
- Offer to take control of their finances temporarily. This is an important and positive step, but it needs to be right for both of you – so think carefully before making this offer, and consider how they might behave towards you when the urge to gamble is particularly strong. If the responsibility feels a little much, offer to have access to their account instead to keep an eye on their spending
- Keep your current and credit card accounts separate, and talk to your bank about other ways they could support you
- Make sure they don’t have access to a large amount of money without your knowledge (for example through re-mortgaging your home or taking out a loan, in either their name or yours)
- If you have valuables and cash at home, make sure they’re in a safe place
- Check whether you have any responsibility for paying debts that have built up from gambling using the Debt Advice Locator Tool
Contact us
Worried you’ll miss a payment, or missed a payment and want to catch up?
Help is always at hand. As soon as you think you might have some financial difficulties, give us a call – it could help make things better.
Have some information about your financial situation ready, before you call, including your income and outgoings. You might be talking for a while – we’ll want to understand your situation in detail, so make sure you set aside some time.
Call Barclays Financial Assistance team on 0800 16 15 260 * (landline) / 0333 202 7894 (mobile). Our line is free of charge
Open 8am-8pm Monday to Friday
And 9am-3pm on Saturday
Or write to us at Barclays Partner Finance, PO Box 2501, Cardiff, CF23 0FP
Extra support
MoneyHelper
Free tools and impartial information to help you manage your money.
Citizens Advice
Free online advice to help you find a way forward, whatever the problem.
National Debtline
Free advice, tools and fact sheets to help you deal with your debt.
The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and is not intended to constitute financial advice. Please seek independent professional advice relevant to your circumstances. Barclays does not accept any liability for any losses as a result of relying on the information contained in this article. The accuracy or completeness of any information herein which is stated to have been obtained from or is based upon any third party sources is not guaranteed by Barclays. All opinions and estimates are given as of the date of publishing.