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If You Need Help Now
National Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-MY-RESET Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Free. Confidential. This became the National Council on Problem Gambling's primary helpline number in January 2026, replacing the previous primary number as the recommended first point of contact for anyone reaching out — though the older number remains fully functional (see below), so don't be concerned if you see either cited elsewhere across this site or other resources.
Also fully operational: 1-800-522-4700. Both numbers are confirmed active and route to the same National Problem Gambling Helpline Network of trained counselors — official state gaming regulator guidance (including a specific Nevada Gaming Control Board notice addressing this exact question) confirms both numbers remain valid for current compliance materials and public-facing resources across licensed operators. Call whichever number you have to hand; you'll reach the same trained support either way, with no difference in the quality or nature of the help provided.
A specific clarification worth making, since it's a genuinely common point of confusion for anyone researching this topic. You may also see "1-800-GAMBLER" referenced elsewhere, including in some casino compliance banners. This number is not the national NCPG line — it's specifically New Jersey's state problem gambling helpline (also used by seven other states with their own arrangements), operated by the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey. It remains a genuine, functioning helpline if you encounter it, but it is not the current national number to lead with.
Text support: Text "HELLO" to 741741 (Crisis Text Line) Online chat: ncpgambling.org/chat
Recognising Problem Gambling
Problem gambling (also called gambling disorder) is a recognised medical condition in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition), classified as a behavioural addiction — the only non-substance-related addiction currently recognised in this way. It affects approximately 1–3% of the US adult population — an estimated 6–9 million people.
The specific diagnostic criteria, worth knowing in more detail than a general warning-signs list provides. The DSM-5 identifies gambling disorder through a set of specific behavioural patterns, several of which need to be present over a sustained 12-month period for a formal clinical diagnosis: needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money to achieve the desired excitement; being restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop; repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop gambling; being preoccupied with gambling (reliving past experiences, planning the next venture, thinking about ways to get money to gamble); gambling when feeling distressed; chasing losses (returning another day to get even after losing money); lying to conceal the extent of involvement in gambling; jeopardising or losing a significant relationship, job, or educational opportunity because of gambling; and relying on others to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling.
A genuinely important point worth stating directly: you do not need to meet a full clinical diagnostic threshold to benefit from reaching out. If several of these patterns feel familiar, or if gambling is causing you concern for any reason at all — financial, relational, or simply a nagging sense that something isn't right — the resources on this page are available regardless of whether your situation would meet a formal diagnosis. Early conversations, before a pattern becomes severe or entrenched, are consistently associated with better long-term outcomes across the research on this condition.
Free Resources
National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) Website: ncpgambling.org | Helpline: 1-800-MY-RESET (also: 1-800-522-4700) The leading national organisation for problem gambling support, operating since 1972. Provides information, a directory of local treatment providers, and operates the national helpline network covering all 50 states and US territories through 24 regional call centers.
Gamblers Anonymous Website: gamblersanonymous.org | Find local meetings: gamblersanonymous.org/ga/content/find-meeting Peer support groups following a 12-step model, available in every US state. Free to attend, no requirement to identify yourself. Online meetings also available for anyone who prefers not to attend in person, or who doesn't have a local meeting within reasonable travelling distance.
Gam-Anon Website: gam-anon.org Support for family members and friends affected by someone else's gambling, covered in more depth further down this page. Meetings available nationally and online.
SAMHSA National Helpline 1-800-662-4357 | samhsa.gov Free, confidential, 24/7 treatment referral and information service for mental health and substance use disorders including gambling disorder — a genuinely useful resource specifically when gambling disorder co-occurs with another mental health or substance use concern, which happens often enough to be worth knowing about directly rather than treating gambling in isolation.
Connections (NCPG's peer support app) A free peer support app, mentioned by at least one detailed resource guide, offering 24/7 community features and milestone tracking specifically for people in recovery from gambling disorder — worth exploring directly through the NCPG website if ongoing, app-based peer connection appeals to you alongside or instead of in-person meetings.
State Self-Exclusion Programs
Unlike the UK's national GAMSTOP scheme, the US has no single national self-exclusion program. Each licensed state operates its own system, and most states also run their own dedicated problem gambling helpline in addition to the national NCPG number.
New Jersey: Self-exclusion through the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement. Covers all NJ-licensed online and physical casinos. nj.gov/oag/ge/sele.html | State helpline: 1-800-GAMBLER
Pennsylvania: iExclusion program through PA Gaming Control Board. Covers all PA-licensed operators. gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov/player-resources/iexclusion/
Michigan: Disassociated Persons List through MI Gaming Control Board. Covers all MI-licensed operators. michigan.gov/mgcb/player-safety | State helpline: 1-800-270-7117
West Virginia: Self-exclusion through WV Lottery. wvlottery.com/responsible-gaming/
Connecticut: Problem Gambling Services through CT DCP. portal.ct.gov/DCP/Gaming-Division | State helpline: 1-888-789-7777
A more complete state helpline list, worth having gathered in one place rather than scattered across multiple pages. Colorado (1-800-522-4700, shared with the national number), Delaware (1-888-850-8888), Florida (1-888-ADMIT-IT), Georgia (1-800-715-4225), Indiana (1-800-994-8448), Louisiana (1-877-770-STOP), Maine (207-520-0293), Maryland (1-800-426-2537), Massachusetts (1-800-327-5050), Minnesota (1-800-333-HOPE), Mississippi (1-888-777-9696), Missouri (1-800-BETS-OFF), Montana (1-888-900-9979), Nebraska (1-833-238-6837), Nevada (702-369-9740), New Hampshire (603-724-1605), New Mexico (1-800-572-1142), New York (1-877-846-7369), and Wyoming (1-800-522-4700, also shared with the national line).
A genuine, current data point worth including for context on why this matters. Several states have documented sharp increases in helpline call volume since legalizing online sports betting — Florida's hotline saw calls rise from roughly 34,000 in 2023 to 61,000 in 2024, an 88% increase, and Virginia recorded a 973% increase in helpline callers between 2019 and 2023. New Jersey reported a 277% increase in calls to its state line since legalizing online sports betting in 2018, with a specific, notable demographic pattern: a recent reporting period found the large majority of NJ helpline calls came from men under 25. This isn't included to alarm anyone reading this page, but to make clear that reaching out for support is a genuinely common, entirely non-isolating step to take — call volumes rising alongside market growth reflects more people recognising a problem and actively seeking help, not a niche or unusual response worth feeling embarrassed about.
Important: Self-exclusion in one state does not automatically exclude you from casinos in other states. If you use online casinos in multiple states, you must self-exclude separately in each state where you hold an account.
For physical casinos: Contact the casino directly or your state's gaming authority. Most states have a unified self-exclusion program covering both physical and online properties.
For Family Members
Gambling disorder affects not just the person with the problem but everyone around them — financially, emotionally, and often in ways that aren't immediately visible from outside the situation. If someone you care about is struggling, you are not alone in navigating this, and support specifically designed for family members and friends exists separately from treatment aimed at the person gambling.
Gam-Anon: Support groups specifically for families and friends, following a peer-support model similar to Gamblers Anonymous but focused entirely on the experience of loving someone with a gambling problem. gamblersanonymous.org/ga/content/gam-anon
NCPG Family Support: ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/family-support/ — includes guidance specifically on how to have a conversation with someone you're concerned about, without it becoming confrontational or triggering defensiveness.
A specific, practical point worth knowing directly: if you're supporting someone with a gambling problem, it's genuinely common to feel torn between wanting to help financially and recognising that repeatedly covering gambling debts can inadvertently make the underlying problem harder to address, since it removes some of the natural consequences that might otherwise prompt someone to seek help on their own. This is a difficult, individual judgment call rather than a simple rule to follow mechanically — Gam-Anon and NCPG's family resources specifically address this exact tension in far more depth than a brief mention here can provide.
Financial guidance: If gambling has caused financial harm within your household, contact the National Foundation for Credit Counseling at nfcc.org or call 1-800-388-2227 for free, confidential financial counselling — a genuinely useful resource distinct from gambling-specific treatment, addressing the practical financial rebuilding that often needs to happen alongside behavioural change.
Treatment Options
Outpatient treatment: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the most evidence-based treatment for gambling disorder, and is generally the first-line recommendation. CBT for gambling disorder typically focuses on identifying and restructuring the specific thought patterns that drive continued gambling despite negative consequences — including common cognitive distortions like believing a loss is "due" to be followed by a win, or that tracking patterns in random outcomes can improve future results. Treatment is available through community mental health centres, private therapists, and specialist gambling treatment programmes; NCPG's national directory (ncpgambling.org) lists providers by state.
Motivational interviewing is another evidence-based approach, often used alongside CBT specifically for individuals who feel ambivalent about seeking help — it focuses on helping someone explore and strengthen their own internal motivation to change, rather than presenting change as something imposed entirely from outside by a therapist, family member, or anyone else. This approach is often particularly effective in the earlier stages of recognising a problem, before someone has fully committed to seeking structured treatment.
Inpatient/residential treatment: For more severe cases, residential treatment programmes are available, offering structured, immersive support away from day-to-day triggers and access. The NCPG helpline can provide referrals to residential programmes appropriate to your specific situation and location.
Medication: Some medications used for other conditions have shown effectiveness for gambling disorder in clinical studies — opioid antagonists like naltrexone are among the most studied, thought to work by reducing the reward response associated with gambling behaviour. Antidepressants (particularly SSRIs) are sometimes used where gambling disorder co-occurs with depression or anxiety, which is common. Medication decisions should always be made with a psychiatrist or addiction medicine specialist, not self-directed.
Support groups as a complement, not a replacement, for clinical treatment. Gamblers Anonymous (covered above) operates on a peer-support, 12-step model distinct from clinical therapy — many people benefit from combining both approaches rather than choosing one over the other, since they address different aspects of recovery (peer accountability and shared experience versus structured clinical technique).
This Site's Own Responsible Gambling Approach
Every US operator reviewed elsewhere on this site is required, as a condition of state licensing, to provide deposit limits, loss limits, session time limits, reality checks, and self-exclusion tools directly within your account settings — covered in specific detail within each individual operator review. Setting these limits proactively, before you feel you need them, is consistently recommended by treatment professionals as a genuinely effective harm-reduction step, independent of whether you're currently experiencing any difficulty.
A pattern this site's research has specifically documented, worth knowing about directly: completing account verification (KYC) early, and understanding your specific state's affordability check and source-of-funds thresholds (covered in this site's guide to current US regulation), isn't only about faster withdrawals — it also means the operator's own automated systems have accurate information to work with if your play pattern ever triggers a genuine safety check. This site's reviews of individual operators disclose real cases where these systems worked as intended, and cases where they didn't — both are worth knowing about as you choose where to play, since no operator's tools are a substitute for your own awareness of your own gambling patterns, but well-functioning tools genuinely do add a meaningful layer of protection on top of that awareness.
FAQ — Responsible Gambling USA
What is the national gambling helpline number? 1-800-MY-RESET is the National Council on Problem Gambling's current, official primary number, adopted in January 2026. The previous number, 1-800-522-4700, also remains fully active and routes to the same support network — both are confirmed valid by state gaming regulators. Available 24/7, free, confidential.
How do I self-exclude from online casinos in the US? Contact the gaming authority in each licensed state where you play. New Jersey (nj.gov/oag/ge/sele.html), Pennsylvania (gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov), Michigan (michigan.gov/mgcb), West Virginia (wvlottery.com), and Connecticut (portal.ct.gov/DCP) all have dedicated online self-exclusion programs, alongside further dedicated systems in most other states with legal online gambling. There is no national system — you must register in each state separately.
What are the DSM-5 criteria for gambling disorder? A clinical diagnosis requires several specific patterns present over a sustained 12-month period, including needing to gamble with increasing amounts for the same excitement, restlessness when trying to stop, repeated unsuccessful attempts to cut back, preoccupation with gambling, gambling when distressed, chasing losses, lying about the extent of involvement, jeopardising relationships or work because of gambling, and relying on others for money due to gambling-caused financial distress. You don't need to meet a full clinical threshold to benefit from reaching out to any resource on this page.
What treatments actually work for gambling disorder? Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the most evidence-based approach available, often combined with motivational interviewing for those feeling ambivalent about seeking help. Some medications, particularly opioid antagonists like naltrexone, have shown effectiveness in clinical studies, though this should always involve a psychiatrist or addiction specialist directly. Peer support through Gamblers Anonymous is commonly used alongside, not instead of, clinical treatment.
Is problem gambling a recognised medical condition? Yes. Gambling Disorder is listed in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) and the ICD-11 (International Classification of Diseases). It is formally classified as a behavioural addiction. Effective, evidence-based treatments include cognitive behavioural therapy and, in some cases, medication.
Are gambling helpline calls confidential? Yes. The National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-522-4700) is fully confidential. Callers are never required to identify themselves at any point during a call, text, or online chat session.
Can I reverse a self-exclusion? Self-exclusion programs vary genuinely by state in terms of reversibility. In New Jersey, self-exclusion can be removed after a minimum of one year (life exclusion is permanent). In Pennsylvania, exclusions have minimum periods before removal is possible. Contact your specific state's gaming authority directly for the exact rules that apply in your state.
If gambling is affecting your life, help is available. Call 1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-522-4700 (both 24/7, free, confidential) or visit ncpgambling.org.