Safer gambling · Guidance
Borrowing to Gamble: What to Do Next
Borrowing to gamble, or gambling with money needed for rent, food or household bills, can put essential living costs at risk. Both are serious warning signs, even if no loan has been taken out.
Trying to win back money needed for bills or to repay debt can lead to further losses. Protect essential spending and deal with any shortfall directly rather than relying on another bet.
What counts as borrowing to gamble?
Borrowing can include:
- using an overdraft
- taking a personal, payday or other loan
- borrowing from friends or family
- using credit to cover bills because cash has gone on gambling
- taking money from one account intending to replace it after a win
Gambling with money needed for rent, mortgage payments, food or household bills is a serious warning sign. It can put essential living costs at risk, whether or not you have borrowed money.
Why this matters
NICE includes borrowing or stealing money for gambling when assessing the financial impact of gambling-related harm. It also recommends looking at immediate needs such as food, housing and debts.
If gambling has affected essential spending or created debt, ask two separate questions:
- How do I stop adding to the gambling losses?
- How do I protect essential bills and deal with any debt or shortfall?
Gambling is not a reliable way to answer the second question.
What to do first
- Stop gambling with borrowed money or money needed for essentials
- Work out which bills and debts are due and when
- Protect money needed for housing, food, utilities and other essentials
- Use bank blocks, blocking software or self-exclusion if access to gambling is part of the problem
- Get independent debt advice before taking another loan to consolidate or cover the shortfall
If you are trying to win the money back
That is loss chasing. Previous losses do not improve the next gambling outcome, and increasing the amount at risk can deepen the debt.
Read about chasing lossesIf other people are affected
Borrowing can affect joint accounts, household bills and people who have lent money. If gambling has put shared finances under pressure, be clear about what is owed and what is in each person's name.
Friends and relatives do not have to keep lending or clearing gambling debts. Our Friends & Family guidance covers boundaries and protecting shared finances.
Get help with the debt as well as the gambling
Gambling support and debt advice solve different parts of the problem. You may need both.
A debt adviser can help you understand priority bills, repayments and options with creditors. Gambling support can help you reduce or stop the behaviour that is creating new losses.