01 / GROUND1 MIN
Come back to the room.
Find something you can see, feel and hear. Keep your eyes open if that feels better.
Use what helps.
One thing at a time.
Choose an exercise for this moment, or put a barrier in place.
TOOLS / SETTLE THIS MOMENTNo sign-up. No score. No need to explain.
A small practice.
A different response.
Close the gambling or trading app first.
Choose the exercise that feels manageable.
02 / NOTICE2 MIN
Notice the urge.
Practise noticing the pull to gamble without acting on it. You do not have to force it away.
03 / REFOCUS5 MIN
One moment at a time.
Guide a small ball from platform to platform. A simple way to shift your attention.
Open the five-minute gameExercises support a pause, not treatment. Stop if you feel worse and contact someone if needed. About mindfulness
BARRIERS / PROTECT YOURSELFMake gambling harder to reach.
Turn a moment of space
into practical protection.
Choose one step to begin.
Build more than one layer.
01Self-excludeClose the route back to gambling.
Use a national exclusion scheme and check its coverage. Denmark’s ROFUS offers temporary and permanent options.
Open ROFUS · Denmark02Block websites & appsPut a barrier on every device.
Block every device. GamCare lists BetBlocker and Gamban; check current costs and coverage. Remove gambling apps and saved logins.
Explore blocking options03Block gambling paymentsAsk your bank what it can stop.
Ask your bank about gambling blocks and removal delays. Transfers, crypto and event contracts may not be covered.
Read about bank blocks04Protect essential moneyBills first. No chasing losses.
Protect bills, food and housing. Remove saved cards. Seek independent debt advice before new borrowing. Agree voluntary money support; never share bank credentials.
Money guidance05Quiet the feedRemove prompts to check again.
Mute betting tips, signal groups, profit posts and gambling streams. Turn off odds and price alerts. Unsubscribe from marketing. For paid game rewards, remove saved payment methods and disable purchases.
Choose a grounding exercise06Plan for a difficult momentMake contact before it escalates.
Plan ahead for payday, matches or lonely evenings: an activity, someone to contact and a barrier to access. After a lapse, stop and ask for support.
Contact someoneSet barriers up with the provider. Coverage varies, especially for crypto and prediction markets. Add personal support too.
FIVE MINUTES / A DIFFERENT FOCUS
One platform.
One moment at a time.
Guide the ball left and right. A five-minute activity with no money or prizes.
Stop whenever you want. Afterwards, add a barrier or contact someone.
A LITTLE HIGHER05:00
A little higher.One platform at a time.
Arrows or A / D on a keyboard. Use the buttons below on a phone.
SMALL PRACTICES / EVERYDAY LIFEDon’t just stop.
Don’t just stop.
Build something in its place.
Stopping can leave a gap. Notice what gambling was doing for you, then plan a safer response to the same trigger. Start small; rest and connection count.
“If you show up every single day and put in the hard work, recovery can be a beautiful thing.”
Name the thought.
Choose the next action.
“I am noticing the thought that I can win it back.” You do not have to settle the argument. Close access and contact someone instead.
What could take its place?
Excitement or a challenge
Try a brisk walk, a skill to practise or a puzzle with a clear stopping point. Choose activities without stakes, loot boxes or paid chance rewards.
Escape from stress or difficult feelings
Take a one-minute grounding exercise, make a meal or listen to music away from betting feeds. If distress persists, contact someone safe or a professional.
Company or belonging
Arrange a call, a walk with someone or a peer-support meeting. Choose a setting where gambling is not the shared activity.
An automatic evening routine
Plan the first ten minutes before the usual trigger: leave the phone behind, make tea and start an ordinary activity. Repeat at the same time tomorrow.
If the urge is about money, an activity won’t fix the debt. Protect essentials and seek independent debt advice through support services.
MAKE ONE PLAN BEFORE THE URGE
“When I want to check odds after dinner, I will leave my phone in another room, walk for ten minutes and message someone safe. I will keep my gambling blocks on.”
Choose your own trigger, activity and person. If it doesn’t help, adjust the plan with support. You don’t have to solve this through willpower or productivity.Use alternatives alongside self-exclusion, payment blocks and personal or professional support. Read more: GamCare: changing your behaviour · NICE: gambling-related harms.
“I’m managing it”—but the line keeps moving
A boundary can shift gradually: more money, more time, another secret. What once felt unacceptable starts to feel normal. Being able to hide the harm does not mean it is under control. You could start with: “I keep moving my own limits, and I need help to stop.” Say it to someone safe or a confidential support service. You don’t have to explain everything at once.
Shame, depression or thoughts of self-harm
Shame can make the future feel closed. Tell a safe person or clinician what is happening; gambling harm can overlap with depression, anxiety and substance use. If you might act on thoughts of self-harm or cannot stay safe, use urgent support now.
After a lapse or a relapse
Stop the session, move away from access and contact someone. Do not gamble to undo the loss. With support, identify the route that reopened and strengthen protection. A lapse does not take away your right to help.
Sleep, alcohol and other substances
Tell a clinician about sleep, mood and substance use so care can address them together. Avoid using alcohol or drugs to manage an urge. If you may be dependent on alcohol or sedatives, seek medical advice before stopping suddenly; withdrawal can be dangerous.