Ara Gambling Service

People gamble for many reasons: the adrenaline rush, to win money, to socialise or to try and escape from worries or stress. However, for some people gambling can get out of control. If you find yourself betting more than you can afford to lose, borrowing money, or feeling stressed and anxious about gambling, you may have a problem.

Disordered or problematic gambling is in many ways the carbon monoxide of addictions.  You can’t see it or smell it the way you can with other addictions such as alcohol and drugs.  It is thought that for every person who is suffering from problematic gambling, 6-10 others are affected.

For individuals, gambling harms can relate to loss of more money than is affordable, disrupted work performance, mental and physical health problems, lowered living standards, debt, bankruptcy and criminal justice problems. They can include disrupted and ruptured partnerships as well as social and emotional isolation.

Worried about your gambling or that of someone else?

It is always a good idea to reflect on your gambling behaviour and ask yourself:-

• Are you betting more than you could afford to lose?
• Do you chase your losses?
• Have you felt guilty about the way you gamble or what happens when you gamble?
• Have you been affected by someone else’s gambling?

If your answer is yes, you may wish to consider getting some support. 

Ara Gambling Service are the National Gambling Treatment provider for Wales and we provide Free support and treatment for anyone affected by gambling harms. Referral into our service is easy, you can call us on 0330 1340 286 or via our website www.recovery4all.co.uk.