Gambling Harm: Support and Practical Steps
Gambling can harm finances, relationships and wellbeing. You do not need to wait for a crisis to ask for help. WinnerOnline is an information website, not a gambling operator or counselling service.
Free support in New Zealand
Contact Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655, seven days a week, or text 8006 anytime in New Zealand. Support is available if you are concerned about your own gambling or someone else’s. The helpline can discuss next steps and local support.
Signs that gambling may be causing harm
- Spending more time or money than intended.
- Borrowing money, missing essential bills or selling belongings to gamble.
- Trying to recover losses by gambling again.
- Hiding gambling, or experiencing conflict about it.
- Gambling affecting sleep, work, study, relationships or mental wellbeing.
These signs are reasons to seek support, not a diagnosis. A counsellor can help you assess your situation without judgement.
Steps to reduce exposure
- Pause gambling and protect money needed for food, housing, bills and other essentials.
- Do not borrow to gamble or try to win back losses.
- Consider telling someone you trust and asking for practical support.
- Ask your bank about available gambling-payment blocks and their limitations.
- Use blocking tools and stop gambling-related marketing where possible.
Self-exclusion and account limits
Self-exclusion, cooling-off periods and account limits differ between providers and schemes. Ask the provider or a support service how to request exclusion, how long it lasts, which services it covers and how breaches are handled. Do not assume one request blocks every website or venue. Limits and exclusions can support harm reduction but do not make gambling risk-free.
WinnerOnline cannot impose exclusions, block a third-party account or access an operator’s customer records. A support service can help you understand your options.
Information and regulation
Gambling is not a reliable source of income. No betting system, review, licence or website badge guarantees safety or a win. For current New Zealand online casino rules, consult the Department of Internal Affairs. For further harm-prevention information, visit Safer Gambling Aotearoa.
Contacting WinnerOnline
To report an inaccurate support link or statement, use our contact page. Please do not send passwords, identity documents or payment-card information. For gambling support, contact the helpline directly.
Support details checked: 29 September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get support for gambling concerns in New Zealand?
Contact Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655 or text 8006. You can seek support for your own gambling or concerns about someone else.
Can I seek help about another person’s gambling?
Yes. You can contact Gambling Helpline for support when someone else’s gambling is affecting you. You do not need to wait until the situation becomes a crisis.
What is the purpose of a gambling limit?
A limit sets a boundary on time or money. It does not make gambling risk-free or guarantee that losses will be affordable. Taking a break or stopping altogether remains an option.
Does self-exclusion from one service block every gambling website?
Do not assume so. Exclusion arrangements have a defined scope. Ask the service or a gambling support adviser which websites or venues are covered and how the arrangement works.
Should I increase my bets to recover losses?
Trying to recover losses by staking more can increase financial harm. Past losses do not make a future win certain. Pause and seek support if you feel pressure to keep playing.
Does WinnerOnline provide counselling?
WinnerOnline is an information website. For personal support, use the specialist services linked on this page rather than waiting for a website email response.
