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Help is at hand
Gaming is fun but for a few, it may become a problem.
If you're worried about yourself, or someone you know, you can speak in confidence to the people at GamCare 24/7, on 0808 8020 133
0808 8020 133 or visit the GamCare website for support.
Support Services
GambleAware is the leading independent charity and strategic commissioner of gambling harm education, prevention, early intervention, and treatment across Great Britain. They’re dedicated to keeping you safe from gambling harms.
GamCare is the leading provider of information, advice and support for anyone affected by gambling harms. It operates the National Gambling Helpline, provides structured support for anyone who is harmed by gambling, creates awareness about safer gambling and treatment, and encourages an effective approach to safer gambling within the gambling industry.
Ygam’s mission is to prevent children and young people from experiencing gaming and gambling harms through awareness-raising, education and research.
Citizens Advice gives people the knowledge and confidence they need to find their way forward - whoever they are, and whatever their problem.
If you're worried about your or someone else's gambling, there are things you can do to get support.
If you're worried about your or someone else's gambling, there are things you can do to get support.
Gamblers Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who have joined together to do something about their own gambling problem and to help other compulsive gamblers do the same.
National Debtline provides free and confidential advice and resources to help people deal with their debts. You can access their services over the phone, through their website and via webchat.
When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123 or visit their website for more ways to speak to a Samaritan.
Betknowmore UK is the national provider of Peer Aid accredited training, and peer-led support for recovering gamblers and affected others. Their programmes include GOALS, a community based support and wellbeing service, and New Beginnings, a UK-wide women only digital service.
All services combine lived experience and evidence-based therapeutic approaches, with both 1;1 and group support.
All services combine lived experience and evidence-based therapeutic approaches, with both 1;1 and group support.
Gordon Moody is the UK's leading charity dedicated to providing residential treatment for gambling addiction in unique specialist centres across the UK. Helping people reclaim and rebuild their lives through recovery in a safe, supported environment. Services are available for those aged 18+.
Help is at hand
Gaming is fun but for a few, it may become a problem.
If you’re worried about yourself, or someone you know, you can speak in confidence to the people at GamCare available 24/7, on 0808 8020 133 or visit the website for support.
Contact us for assistance
If you have any problems with changing your settings, or have concerns about your play, please contact us:
0333 234 44 33
9am – 8pm Monday to Saturday
9am – 5pm Sunday
Opening hours may vary on bank holidays
9am – 5pm Sunday
Opening hours may vary on bank holidays
Calls cost no more than calls to 01 and 02 numbers. If your phone tariff offers inclusive calls to landlines, calls to 03 numbers will be included on the same basis.
Need help now? View our support services
Need help now? View our support services
Player information and support
Enjoy yourself
Discover our games, where to play, how to keep play fun and learn about National Lottery-funded projects.
Enjoy YourselfLearn more
Learn more
Try our responsible play tools
Find out what kind of player you are
We have an online test that helps you to consider certain behaviours to ensure that playing not just our games, but all the games you play, remains fun. A series of questions walk you through what experts consider important when looking at responsible play behaviour.
Take the test
Try our budget calculator
Our budget calculator is designed to help you work out how you spend your money each month. It’s quick to complete and your answers remain completely confidential.
Go to calculator
Keeping track of your play
Keeping track of your play and transaction history will give you a better understanding of your National Lottery account activity.
How to track your play and transactions
How we keep our players safe
Certifications
Allwyn takes a leading role when it comes to responsible play and aligning with best practice. We proudly hold the European Lotteries' Responsible Gaming Certification and the highest level of the World Lotteries Association Responsible Gaming Certification, recognising our commitment to continuous improvement.
The European Lotteries Association is the European umbrella organisation of national lotteries operating games of chance. The World Lotteries Association supports their members in their pursuit of creating positive societal impact, while upholding integrity and responsible gaming standards.
Both certifications form part of our wider Responsible Play Strategy, ensuring National Lottery games are enjoyed safely both in retail and online.
Designing games with you in mind
We design games that are both safe and fun to play. This is supported by tools and processes which closely monitor games as they are being developed, launched and played.
This helps us ensure we're designing games that are not high risk, and avoid games which are very quick to play, or a particularly high price point to play.
Protecting young people and children
Playing in store
We're committed to preventing underage play. If you believe National Lottery games are being sold to under-18s, please call 0345 301 6216. And remember, people need to be 18+ to buy, gift, receive and play National Lottery games, as well as to claim any prizes.
Playing online
Our online games are accessible only by users whose age and identity have been confirmed. We use an independent organisation to verify a player's age to ensure they are over 18.
You can ensure that under-18s don't have access to your National Lottery account by keeping your username and password confidential. There are also many third-party content filtering applications you can use to monitor or restrict internet use on your computer, such as:
- www.netnanny.com - Net Nanny filtering software, which protects children from viewing inappropriate web content
- www.27labs.com - CYBERsitter filtering software, which allows parents and guardians to add their own list of blocked sites to its filter
Identifying and supporting at-risk players
To keep players safe online, we use a behavioural analytics model which identifies at-risk players, enabling us to support them through targeted interventions. Players who are identified as at-risk also have significantly lower deposit and play limits automatically applied to their account and are provided with advice on managing their play.
Training for retail stores and outlets
We also have robust measures in place to help prevent sales to under-18s and support responsible play in retail outlets, such as:
- Mandatory training for all new National Lottery retailers covers responsible play, underage sales prevention, treatment referral and wider consumer protection issues
- Regular communication with our retailers on how they can prevent underage play and support responsible play
- Our underage mystery shopper visits are carried out by young people aged over 18 who we reasonably expect to be challenged for ID. The programme is a tool used to monitor the compliance of our retailers as a result of the training and awareness we have in place to help prevent sales to underage players
- Our responsible play mystery shopper programme tests randomly selected retailers’ knowledge on responsible play and whether they are able to correctly signpost players to sources of support
Scratchcard limit
A purchase limit of 10 Scratchcards per transaction is in place in retail. A transaction is a purchase (which includes the purchase of Scratchcards) made during a single visit to a store. This is part of our commitment to ensuring that The National Lottery remains a trusted and safe environment for our players.
Gift responsibly
National Lottery games could be the perfect little gift, particularly for people who may be hard to buy for. When purchasing a National Lottery product (which might win a fantastic prize), it comes with the added bonus of raising money for National Lottery-funded projects.
When giving National Lottery draw tickets or Scratchcards as a gift, purchasers need to consider who they are gifting to and ensure they are always gifting responsibly – people need to be 18+ to buy, gift, receive and play, and to claim a prize.
Responsible gifting is in line with our commitment to protecting players and operating in a socially responsible way.
Our approach to gifting responsibly means:
- National Lottery products are only to be gifted to those aged 18+. Our retail partners are trained not to allow under-18s to redeem prizes in store. They are also trained not to allow underage purchases, which retailers are tested via our nationwide mystery shopping programme
- Purchasers must not gift National Lottery products excessively to individuals, and should keep in mind that there is a purchase limit of 10 Scratchcards per transaction in place in stores
- Purchasers should also aim not to gift National Lottery products to anyone who may find the gift inappropriate for any reason