FAQs

Betting on a game of chance for a monetary reward where you are hoping for a desired outcome, this involves an element of risk and reward, this could be from a raffle ticket to a horse race to an online loot box.

The Red Card Gambling Support Project is not anti-gambling. We understand that gambling is a leisurely activity for millions in the UK.  We are, however, wanting to ensure that support is available for all those who struggle with gambling. One of our main objectives is to stop problems from occurring so we do a lot our work around gambling harm prevention.

If you are gambling more than you can afford it is a problem. £10 per week could be too much for some. There is no set monetary value to suggest a problem a gambler, it is based on your disposable income and how much of that you are gambling.

If you are borrowing money to gamble, then we suggest you seek help.

If you are not paying bills due to gambling, we suggest you seek help.

If you are resorting to illegal activities to fund gambling, we suggest you seek help.

We provide individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy; workshops for children, education groups, workplaces, telephone consultations, advice and support.

We work closely with addiction agencies and can assist in any referral processes.

There are a host of tools we can recommend and support you with.  This could be 1-1 sessions with us, advice on blocking online gambling, multi-operator self-exclusion scheme, banking options to block gambling, workbook for children.

Please contact us and we can recommend on a case-by-case basis.

You can contact Red Card Services for an initial call if you are concerned and we will discuss your concerns and inform you who we believe may be able to assist you, this could be a service we provide or we will direct you to a charity/company who will help such as NHS, Gam care, Gamble aware, Gordon Moody Association, and others.

By discussing with ourselves we will be able to signpost you as appropriate.

• Being preoccupied with gambling, such as constantly planning how to get more gambling money
• Needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money to get the same thrill
• Trying to control, cut back or stop gambling, without success
• Feeling restless or irritable when you try to cut down on gambling
• Gambling to escape problems or relieve feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety or depression
• Trying to get back lost money by gambling more (chasing losses)
• Lying to family members or others to hide the extent of your gambling
• Jeopardizing or losing important relationships, a job, or school or work opportunities because of gambling
• Resorting to theft or fraud to get gambling money
• Asking others to bail you out of financial trouble because you gambled money away
• Absent from work, school, or university on a regular basis.
• Constantly borrowing money
• Loss of weight, isolation, feeling depressed, suicide ideation.
• Neglect of family
• Cancelling family engagements or cultural engagements due to gambling
• Constant mood swings
• Staying in denial

It is illegal to gamble in the UK if you are under 18. Gambling on the lottery and scratch cards becomes illegal to gamble on if you are under 18 from October 2021. You must be 18 or over to gamble on horse racing, online gambling sites, at casinos, in bookmakers, or on bingo.

The gambling commission are the UK gambling regulator and are responsible for supervising gambling law in Great Britain.

A personal functional licence will cost £165, and a personal management licence will cost £330.

You contact the gambling commission, but there is a registration fee payable. The commission has an online process for applications.

We deliver educational gambling awareness workshops to anybody that is affected by problem gambling, including corporate bodies, workplace, schools, colleges, universities, rehab centres, youth projects, charities, and others.

See extracts from one of our presentations below: