GamCare: Spotting the signs of gambling harm at Christmas

GamCare hears from people who have become isolated and lonely as a result of their gambling, and who haven’t spoken to anyone else about what they are going through. These feelings can worsen over the Christmas period, when people might encounter loneliness or pressure to seem as if everything is alright.

We recognise that gambling is known as the ‘hidden addiction’, and often the signs are not clear. From experience, we understand that these are the most common ways to identify if your own or someone else’s gambling has become harmful.

Some signs to consider about your own or someone else’s gambling:

• Preoccupation – Do you spend much of your day thinking about betting? Are you finding that your gambling is taking you out of the moment when you spend time with friends and family this Christmas? Often thinking about or planning to gamble can be one of the early warning signs that gambling could be harmful.
• Withdrawal – Removing yourself from social situations so that you can place a bet is another warning signal that your gambling might be going too far, and that the urges to gamble are potentially harming other areas of your life and the people around you. Withdrawal may be one of the early warning signs that someone’s gambling could be harmful this Christmas; such as wanting to stay at home more frequently or needing to check their phone constantly to check the latest results.
• Escape – Life – and the Christmas season in particular - can be overwhelming at times, and you might feel like you want to escape it for a while. Using gambling as a coping mechanism is a sign of harmful gambling and can lead to losing significant amounts of money.
• Chasing losses – Chasing losses is where your motive for gambling changes from winning money to getting back the money you have already lost. This can be dangerous and lead to significant losses. There might be more financial signs that a loved one is struggling with gambling, such as a need to borrow money or money missing from bank accounts.
• Changing mood – There could be noticeable changes to your mood and behaviour, including looking worried, agitated or upset for no apparent reason in the lead up Christmas.
• Lying – You may find yourself hiding how much you are spending or lying about the amount of time you are spending gambling, or perhaps asking for money to cover bills that you are spending. These are just some signs that gambling is harming your life and possibly risking your relationships with family and friends.

The National Gambling Helpline is available 24/7 for free during the Christmas period. Contact our Advisers on Freephone 0808 80 20 133, via WhatsApp on 020 3031 8881, or via online chat at gamcare.org.uk.