Frequently asked questions

No. Most people who contact us are still gambling, and a good number are not yet certain they want to stop. Ambivalence is a normal starting point rather than a disqualification — the first two sessions of every programme are built around it.

You book a free 20-minute intake call with a clinician. It is a conversation, not an assessment form. We ask what has been happening, what has already been tried, and whether anyone else knows. At the end we tell you honestly whether we are the right service — and if we are not, we say where to go instead.

We hold capacity deliberately small so that intake calls happen within one working day and first sessions within a week. If we cannot offer that, we will tell you at the point of enquiry rather than adding you to a queue.

Yes, and you do not need that person to attend or even to know. Roughly a third of our clients are partners, parents and adult children seeking support in their own right.

Both. One-to-one and family work can be delivered by secure video, by telephone, or in person in Manchester. The facilitated group programme runs online only, which keeps a closed group of eight viable across the whole country.

The one-to-one programme is twelve weekly sessions of fifty minutes. Family and partner work runs six to ten sessions. The group programme is a fixed eight weeks. Aftercare afterwards is monthly and open-ended.

The intake call is free. Session fees are confirmed in writing before you book anything, and we hold a small number of reduced-fee places at any given time. We never take payment during a first call, and we do not use subscriptions or auto-renewal.

You tell us, and we carry on. A lapse is clinical information, not a breach of contract. Clients in aftercare can request a same-week appointment at no extra cost precisely because the seventy-two hours after a lapse determine most of what follows.

Yes, within the standard clinical limits. We would break confidentiality only where there is a serious risk to your life or someone else’s, a risk to a child or vulnerable adult, or a legal obligation. Those limits are explained in full in your first session and set out in our Terms Of Service.

Not by us, and not without your written instruction. We do not report to third parties, and we do not sell, share or trade any information about you. Our Privacy Policy sets out precisely what we hold and for how long.

Yes. Registered therapists are required to keep clinical records. They are stored encrypted within the UK, kept for the period our professional bodies require, and you can request a copy at any time under UK GDPR.

No. UK Gambling Therapy takes no advertising, no commission, no affiliate revenue and no sponsorship from any gambling operator or any organisation reviewed on this website. Our only income is therapy fees paid by clients. This is set out in full on our Disclosure page.

No. There is no comment section, forum, review form or user profile anywhere on this website, by design. Every word here is written and checked by our own clinical team, and the recovery stories are clearly labelled illustrative composites rather than real named clients.

No. Nothing here is a diagnosis or a treatment plan. If you are in immediate danger, call 999. If you are in distress, Samaritans are on 116 123 at any hour. For free confidential gambling support at any hour, the National Gambling Helpline is 0808 8020 133.

Every clinical and signposting page carries a review date. We check the organisations we review, and their contact details, at least twice a year and after any known change to their service.