Gambling and Debt: What to Do First

If gambling has left you short for bills, using credit or falling behind on repayments, deal with the gambling and the debt at the same time. Stopping new losses makes the financial side easier to address.

Start with the actual numbers

Write down what you owe, what payments are due and what money is coming in. Include overdrafts, credit cards, loans, Buy Now Pay Later, money owed to friends or family and any missed household bills.

Do not leave out gambling losses because you hope to win them back. The current position is the useful starting point.

Protect essential and priority payments

Some missed payments have more serious consequences than others. MoneyHelper recommends dealing with priority bills first, including items such as rent or mortgage, Council Tax or Rates, energy, child maintenance and certain tax, benefit and court debts.

If you are unsure which bills take priority, use a debt adviser or a bill-prioritising tool rather than guessing.

Do not make another gamble part of the debt plan

Trying to win enough to clear a balance can create a second problem on top of the first. If the next bet loses, the debt is larger. If it wins, there is still no guarantee the money will be withdrawn rather than gambled again.

If you are gambling mainly to recover what has already gone, read our chasing-losses guide.

If you have started borrowing

Borrowing can include overdrafts, loans, credit used to cover bills or money from friends and family. It is worth treating that separately from ordinary gambling spend because repayments continue even after the gambling session ends.

Make it harder to create new gambling losses

Depending on what you need, that can include:

• a gambling payment block with your bank
• blocking software on phones and computers
• self-exclusion from gambling websites, apps or venues
• moving essential payments so they leave your account before discretionary spending
• asking someone you trust to help with finances if that is safe and agreed

Talk to creditors and get debt advice

If you are missing payments or cannot see how to meet them, free debt advice can help you work out priorities and options. MoneyHelper advises telling the adviser when debt is linked to gambling so they have the full picture.

Creditors may also be able to discuss an affordable payment arrangement. Speak to a debt adviser first if you are unsure what to offer or which debts need dealing with most urgently.

If someone else's gambling is affecting your money

Joint accounts, joint borrowing and household bills can expose other people to financial harm. Check what is held jointly and what is only in your name before agreeing to new borrowing or paying gambling debts for someone else.

Sources

• MoneyHelper: tackling gambling and debt
• MoneyHelper: how to prioritise debts
• NICE NG248: gambling-related harms