Responsible Gambling: Help, Tools & Helplines for US Players

Need help right now? Call or text the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) National Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) — free, confidential and available 24 hours a day, every day. You can also chat online at ncpgambling.org/chat or visit ncpgambling.org.

Play responsibly

Gambling is entertainment, not a way to make money and not a way to solve financial problems. A few simple rules keep it that way:

Only ever wager money you can comfortably afford to lose.
Set a budget before you start — and stop when you reach it.
Never chase losses by betting more to win back what you have lost.
Do not gamble to escape stress, boredom, grief or anxiety.
Do not gamble under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Take regular breaks and keep gambling a small part of your life.
You must be of legal age — 21 or older at most operators we list.

Signs of problem gambling

Problem gambling can affect anyone. Ask yourself — or someone you care about — whether any of these are true:

Spending more time or money on gambling than you intended, or than you can afford.
Chasing losses, or betting bigger to feel the same excitement.
Borrowing money, selling things or neglecting bills to gamble.
Lying to family or friends about how much you gamble.
Feeling restless, irritable or anxious when you try to cut back or stop.
Gambling to escape problems or to relieve low moods.
Letting gambling harm your relationships, work, studies or health.

If several of these ring true, please reach out. Calling 1-800-GAMBLER does not commit you to anything — it is simply a free, confidential conversation with someone who can help.

Tools to stay in control

Most gambling sites offer built-in tools to help you manage your play. Use them proactively, before a problem develops:

Deposit limits — cap how much you can deposit per day, week or month so you cannot exceed your budget.
Loss and wager limits — some sites let you cap total losses or total stakes over a period.
Session reminders and time-outs — set alerts for how long you have been playing.
Cool-off periods — lock yourself out for a short break (a day, a week or a month) when you need to step away.
Self-exclusion — block your account for an extended period, or permanently, when you need to stop.

Important — offshore operators and self-exclusion. The casinos, sportsbooks and crypto sites we review are licensed offshore. That means they are not part of any US state self-exclusion program, and they are not covered by state registries. Signing up for a state self-exclusion list will not block you from an offshore site. To take a break from an offshore operator, you must use that operator's own deposit-limit, cool-off and self-exclusion tools, set inside your account. If you want a nationwide safety net that covers many US-facing sites, you can also register with third-party blocking software such as Gamban or GamBlock, which block gambling sites at the device level.

State helplines

The NCPG National Helpline 1-800-GAMBLER works nationwide, but many states run their own dedicated lines too. Here are the numbers for the states we cover most:

State	Helpline
Texas	1-800-522-4700
California	1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537)
Florida	1-888-ADMIT-IT (1-888-236-4848)
Georgia	1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537)
North Carolina	1-877-718-5543

Wherever you live in the US, 1-800-522-4700 also reaches the NCPG network and connects you to help in your state.

Support organizations

You do not have to face problem gambling alone. These organizations offer free, confidential help and support groups:

National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) — ncpgambling.org, helpline 1-800-GAMBLER.
Gamblers Anonymous — a fellowship of people recovering from gambling problems; find local and online meetings at gamblersanonymous.org.
Gam-Anon — support for the family and friends of problem gamblers.
GamCare — free information, support and counselling at gamcare.org.uk.
SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for mental health and substance-use support.

Age and protecting others

You must be of legal age to gamble — 21 or older at most of the operators we list (18+ at a few). Underage gambling is never acceptable. If children share your devices, use parental control software and keep account passwords private so minors cannot access gambling sites. Keep gambling a private, adult activity.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out today. Help is free, confidential and available 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER.

21+ only. Gambling should be entertainment, never a way to make money. Set a deposit limit before you start and never chase losses. Free confidential help: call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.