Responsible Gambling: Australian Support Services

National Services

National Gambling Helpline

Phone: 1800 858 858 (free call, 24/7)
Trained counsellors specialising in gambling harm. Available to players, family members, and anyone affected by someone else's gambling. Can refer you to local face-to-face services.

Gambling Help Online

gamblinghelponline.org.au
Free 24/7 online chat and email counselling. Useful if you prefer not to make a phone call. Confidential. No referral required.

BetStop — National Self-Exclusion Register

betstop.gov.au
The Australian Government's national self-exclusion register. Register once to self-exclude from all approximately 150 licensed Australian online and phone wagering providers simultaneously. Registration takes under five minutes with a mobile number, email address, and either a driver's licence or Medicare card.

Exclusion periods range from 3 months to lifetime. You can nominate up to five support people (family, friends, or counsellors) when registering. Since launching in August 2023, BetStop has processed registrations from almost 10,000 Australians in its first year.

Important limitation: BetStop only covers licensed Australian wagering services. It does not apply to offshore operators like CoinCasino. For offshore sites, self-exclusion depends entirely on the operator honouring your request — which, as documented in our complaints analysis, CoinCasino has failed to do reliably.

State and Territory Services

Bank-Level Gambling Blocks

Several Australian banks allow you to block gambling transactions through their apps. These apply to transactions identified by merchant category codes as gambling-related. Note that crypto purchases through exchanges may not be caught unless the exchange itself is flagged.

• NAB: Block gambling transactions through the NAB app under account settings
• Commonwealth Bank: Real-time transaction monitoring and optional gambling spend limits
• ANZ: Gambling restriction options through ANZ Plus and internet banking
• Westpac: Optional transaction blocks available through digital banking

Recognising Problem Gambling

Gambling becomes harmful when it starts affecting your finances, relationships, mental health, or daily functioning. Some signs to watch for:

• Spending more than you can afford to lose
• Chasing losses with larger bets
• Gambling to escape stress, anxiety, or depression
• Hiding gambling activity from family or friends
• Borrowing money or selling possessions to fund gambling
• Continuing to gamble after deciding to stop
• Feeling restless or irritable when not gambling

These are not signs of weakness or moral failing. Problem gambling is recognised as a health issue, and effective treatment is available. Reaching out to the National Gambling Helpline (1800 858 858) is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.

For Family and Friends

Gambling harm extends well beyond the person gambling. Family members and friends of people with gambling problems can access support independently — you do not need to wait for the person gambling to seek help themselves.

Gambling Help services include counselling for affected family members, financial counselling, and guidance on how to support someone who is not yet ready to seek help. Call 1800 858 858 to be connected to the appropriate service in your state or territory.

Gambling Facts: Australia

• Australia has the highest gambling losses per adult of any country in the world
• National gambling losses total approximately $25 billion per year
• Approximately 3.5 million Australians gamble online
• Around 1 million online gamblers are at risk of, or experiencing, gambling harm
• Online gambling participation has more than doubled in under 10 years
• Credit cards for online wagering are banned in Australia as part of the harm minimisation framework
• The majority of BetStop registrants are under 40