Start with one clear decision
If gambling is causing stress, taking more money or time than intended, or becoming difficult to stop, choose one immediate action. That might be ending the current session, leaving the device, asking someone trusted to stay with you, or contacting a support service.
You do not need to decide everything at once. The first aim is to create distance between an urge and the ability to gamble. Avoid trying to recover losses. A further bet cannot undo money already spent, and chasing losses can make the financial impact larger.
If the situation feels urgent or overwhelming, use the urgent help guide. It provides a direct route to immediate support information without requiring you to continue reading.
Signs that gambling may be becoming harmful
There is no single test that fits everyone. Look instead for changes in behaviour, money, mood and relationships. Warning signs can include gambling for longer than planned, repeatedly increasing a limit, hiding spending, borrowing to gamble, missing essential payments, or returning quickly after a loss.
Other signs include feeling restless when trying to stop, using gambling to escape worry, losing sleep, neglecting work or family commitments, and thinking constantly about the next opportunity to gamble. One sign does not establish a diagnosis, but repeated patterns deserve attention.
A useful question is: “Would I be comfortable showing a complete record of my gambling time and spending to someone I trust?” If the answer is no, consider pausing now and seeking support rather than waiting for the situation to become more serious.
Make access harder today
Practical barriers can help during moments when motivation changes. Log out of gambling accounts and remove saved passwords from shared or personal devices. Delete gambling applications, turn off promotional notifications and unsubscribe from marketing messages where those controls are available.
Review whether your bank or payment provider offers gambling-related controls. Availability and operation vary, so confirm the details directly with the provider. Do not treat a single technical control as complete protection; combine several barriers where possible.
Tell a trusted person what you are doing. You might ask them to help review household bills, hold you accountable to a spending plan, or stay in contact during times when you usually gamble. Do not give another person access to gamble through your accounts or identity.
| Need | Practical action | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Stop immediate access | Log out, remove applications and clear saved passwords | Check every device you use |
| Reduce prompts | Disable notifications and marketing where available | Check email, text messages and application settings |
| Protect essential money | Separate rent, food and bill money before discretionary spending | Confirm scheduled payments and account balances |
| Add support | Contact a trusted person or a support programme | Agree on a specific check-in time |
| Seek a formal restriction | Use the national self-exclusion access point where applicable | Confirm which licensed online bookmakers are covered |
National self-exclusion access
The National Self-Exclusion Platform is an access point for self-exclusion from licensed online bookmakers. The primary access point is exclusion.cy. Its stated scope is licensed online bookmakers, so do not assume that it covers every gambling service, physical location or website.
Read the platform’s current information before proceeding and check the scope of the restriction you select. Keep any confirmation supplied after completing a request. If you can still reach a service that you expected to be restricted, do not test it by placing a bet. Contact the relevant service or support channel and describe the issue clearly.
Self-exclusion works best as part of a wider plan. Removing applications, reducing access to money, asking for personal support and addressing debts or emotional distress may still be necessary. A restriction can create valuable distance, but it does not resolve every cause or consequence of harmful gambling.
Helplines and support programmes
The National Betting Authority’s safer gambling programmes resource lists helplines 1454 and 1456, together with their intended audiences and service hours. Check the official programmes listing for the current audience and opening-time details before calling.
When contacting a service, you can begin with a simple description: how often you gamble, whether you are trying to stop, and what is most urgent today. You do not need to prepare a perfect account. If money, family conflict, sleep, anxiety or safety is the immediate concern, say so at the start.
Service hours are not reproduced here because they can change. If one service is unavailable, use the official listing to identify the appropriate current option. For a shorter action-focused route, consult urgent help.
Protect money and record the impact
Start by listing essential commitments: housing, electricity, water, food, transport, healthcare and debt payments. Compare them with the money currently available. Do not use credit or essential household funds in an attempt to recover gambling losses.
Create a factual record of deposits, withdrawals and other gambling transactions. Bank statements and account histories may help. Record dates and amounts without estimating where accurate information is available. The purpose is to understand the position and decide what needs attention first, not to calculate a strategy for further gambling.
If a transaction appears unfamiliar, first check whether the merchant name differs from the gambling name you recognise. If it remains unexplained, contact the relevant bank or payment provider through its verified channel. The payment checks guide explains how to examine payment details without assuming that an unfamiliar description proves fraud.
Check who you are dealing with
The National Betting Authority’s current Class B register lists operators, domains, licence numbers, status and duration. Use the official Class B register when checking a specific online bookmaker.
Match the exact domain shown in your browser with the domain in the register. A similar name, copied design, familiar badge or search result is not a substitute for an exact match. Also read the recorded status and duration rather than relying only on the presence of a name.
The register supports a defined identity and status check; it does not prove that gambling is safe for a particular person or that every dispute will be resolved in the player’s favour. More detail on reading regulatory records is available in the licence and law guide.
If you need to raise a complaint
Keep the responsible gambling decision separate from the complaint. If gambling is causing harm, pause access first rather than continuing to use an account merely to gather more material.
Preserve relevant records already available to you: transaction dates, amounts, account messages, restriction requests and responses. Write a short timeline using facts rather than assumptions. Avoid publishing personal account details, identity documents, payment information or private correspondence in public spaces.
A complaint is an allegation unless a competent authority establishes the matter through an appropriate record. A delayed response or disputed transaction does not, by itself, establish fraud. The complaints and scam warnings guide offers a structured way to organise the issue and distinguish confirmed facts from unresolved concerns.
Build a plan for the next seven days
A short written plan can reduce reliance on willpower. Note the times, places and emotions that usually precede gambling. For each trigger, choose an alternative action that is available immediately, such as calling someone, walking away from the device, attending a planned activity or checking in with a support service.
Schedule daily checks of essential balances without repeatedly reviewing gambling results. Remove gambling-related bookmarks and avoid media or conversations that trigger an urge where practical. If a lapse occurs, return to the plan promptly. Do not treat one lapse as a reason to continue.
Review the plan after seven days. Keep barriers that worked, strengthen weak points and seek further support if urges or consequences remain difficult to manage. Responsible gambling support is not limited to people who have lost a particular amount. Concern about control, time, secrecy or emotional impact is enough reason to ask for help.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I access national self-exclusion in Cyprus?
The National Self-Exclusion Platform at exclusion.cy is an access point for self-exclusion from licensed online bookmakers. Check its current terms and scope before completing a request, and keep any confirmation supplied.
Which responsible gambling helplines are listed by the official programmes resource?
The National Betting Authority’s safer gambling programmes resource lists 1454 and 1456. The audiences and service hours differ, so check the official programmes listing for current details before calling.
Does self-exclusion cover every gambling website and physical location?
The supplied primary record describes the national platform as an access point for licensed online bookmakers. It does not establish coverage of every website, gambling service or physical location. Confirm the current scope directly through the platform.
How can I check whether an online bookmaker appears in the Class B register?
Use the National Betting Authority’s current Class B register and compare the exact domain. Check the listed operator, licence number, status and duration. A similar name or visual design is not an exact domain match.
What should I do first if I am chasing losses?
Stop the current session and create distance from access to gambling. Do not borrow or use essential money to try to recover a loss. Log out, remove easy access, contact someone trusted and use an official support resource if you need help maintaining the pause.