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Responsible Gambling

MMA Fight Advisor, operated by 300 Sports Analytics, LLC

Last updated June 8, 2026.

This page is for information only. It is not medical advice and not a substitute for professional care. If you are in immediate danger or having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 now.

1. Read this first

If gambling is causing you stress, debt, sleepless nights, or arguments with people you love, you are not alone. You don't have to figure it out by yourself. This page exists for one reason: to make it easier to find help that actually works.

We believe in data and what works. Below you'll find the interventions with the strongest evidence and the most established places to get them. Whether you want to talk to someone tonight, find a therapist next week, or sit in on a peer meeting from your kitchen table, there's a clear path to start.

You do not need to hit "rock bottom" to ask for help. Treatment is most studied in people with established gambling problems. That said, the helplines, peer meetings, and brief interventions listed here are also designed for people who are just starting to worry.

MMA Fight Advisor is an analytical and informational service operated by 300 Sports Analytics, LLC. We are not a sportsbook and do not accept wagers. This site is intended for adults 21 and older.

2. If you need help right now

  • National Problem Gambling Helpline (NCPG) — free, confidential, 24/7. Call or text 1-800-522-4700; chat at ncpgambling.org/chat. (NCPG also promotes 1-800-MY-RESET as the current branded number for the National Problem Gambling Helpline.)
  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — if you're having thoughts of suicide or are in emotional crisis. Call or text 988; chat at 988lifeline.org/chat.
  • SAMHSA National Helpline — free, confidential, 24/7, mental health and substance use referrals. Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357); text your ZIP code to 435748 (HELP4U).

Problem gambling carries an elevated risk of suicidal thoughts. A 2023 meta-analysis of 76 studies (Kristensen et al., Psychological Medicine) found a pooled lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation of 31.6% (95% CI 29.1–34.3%) and suicide attempts of 13.2% (95% CI 11.3–15.5%) among people with disordered gambling. If you are in crisis, please use 988 first.

3. Signs it might be a problem

This is not a diagnostic tool. It's a list of common warning signs published by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and consistent with the DSM-5 criteria for gambling disorder. If several of these sound familiar, that's worth taking seriously — not a verdict on who you are.

  • Thinking about gambling a lot of the time.
  • Needing to bet more money, or more often, to feel the same excitement.
  • Feeling restless or irritable when you try to cut back or stop.
  • Lying about how much time or money you've spent.
  • Trying to recover losses by gambling more.
  • Borrowing money, selling things, or skipping bills to keep gambling.
  • Gambling affecting your work, school, relationships, mood, or sleep.
  • Promising to stop, then doing it again.

Two things worth knowing: the amount of money lost is not what defines a problem — the impact on your life is. And gambling problems are recognized as a health condition, not a character flaw.

4. What actually works: interventions with the strongest evidence

The treatments below are the ones with the most consistent peer-reviewed support for gambling disorder. We list them so you can recognize them when a clinician or helpline counselor offers them — and know they're evidence-based, not someone's pet theory.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — including cognitive restructuring and exposure

The best-supported psychological treatment for gambling disorder. CBT helps you identify the thoughts that drive gambling (for example, "I'm due for a win" or "I can feel when it's about to hit"), test them against reality, and build practical skills to manage urges and high-risk situations. Exposure-based variants help reduce the pull of gambling cues.

A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis in Addiction (Pfund et al., 2023) found CBT significantly reduced gambling disorder severity at post-treatment, with a large effect size (Hedges' g = −1.14, 95% CI −1.68 to −0.60). An umbrella review of five meta-analyses (Pfund et al., 2023, Clinical Psychology Review) found a pooled effect of g = −0.91 for severity. A separate 2023 meta-analysis (Eriksen et al., 2023) found psychological intervention overall produced a medium effect on gambling severity (g = −0.71), with the strongest evidence and largest effects for face-to-face CBT. Earlier work (Gooding & Tarrier, 2009; Pallesen et al., 2005) reached similar conclusions, and exposure therapy specifically is supported by Bergeron et al. (2022).

Motivational Interviewing (MI) — often combined with CBT

A short, conversation-based approach in which a clinician helps you work through ambivalence about change, rather than telling you what to do. MI is especially useful early in treatment or for people who aren't sure they want to stop yet. Yakovenko et al. (2015) reported significant reductions in gambling frequency and dollars lost at treatment end, with effects strongest in the short term; DiClemente et al. (2017) and Petry et al. (2017) describe MI as well-established for addictive disorders, particularly when paired with CBT.

Brief interventions — useful early on

One to three sessions of structured, focused conversation (often including personalized feedback). Quilty et al. (2019) found a small but statistically significant effect on gambling behavior (g = −0.19) compared with assessment-only controls. The effect is smaller than full CBT, but the interventions are cheap, fast, and well suited to people whose gambling is less severe or who are testing the water.

Digital and self-help (internet-based CBT, workbooks, apps)

Internet-delivered CBT and structured self-help expand access for people who can't easily get to in-person therapy. Effects are typically smaller than face-to-face CBT, and therapist guidance improves outcomes (Augner et al., 2022; Dowling et al., 2021; Rodda et al., 2018). Useful as a starting point or supplement.

Mindfulness-based approaches — as an adjunct

Mindfulness-based interventions, usually added to CBT, can help with urge-surfing, rumination, and the emotional triggers that drive gambling. McIntosh et al. (2016) found mindfulness-based and CBT interventions produced comparable, clinically meaningful improvements that held at 3- and 6-month follow-up. Best treated as a complement, not a stand-alone.

Honest note on what no treatment can promise

No single intervention reliably prevents long-term relapse, and dropout is a real challenge across modalities (Eriksen et al., 2023; Petry et al., 2017). That's not a reason to skip treatment — it's a reason to expect setbacks, plan for them, and treat recovery as ongoing rather than one-and-done.

5. A map to help

We've grouped resources by what you might need today. Everything listed here is free unless noted. We've intentionally kept this list to the most established, non-commercial providers.

I need to talk to someone right now

  • National Problem Gambling Helpline (NCPG) — 24/7 trained counselors; confidential; referrals to local treatment and support. NCPG was founded in 1972 and is the only national nonprofit dedicated to mitigating gambling-related harm. Call or text 1-800-522-4700; chat at ncpgambling.org/chat. Free.
  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — 24/7 crisis support for suicidal thoughts, mental health, and substance crises (SAMHSA-funded). Call or text 988; chat at 988lifeline.org/chat. Free.
  • SAMHSA National Helpline — 24/7 free referrals for mental health and substance use; English/Spanish. Does not directly address gambling, but covers co-occurring conditions that often travel with it. Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357); text your ZIP code to 435748. Free.

I want professional treatment or a therapist

  • SAMHSA's FindTreatment.gov — federal directory of licensed mental health and substance use treatment providers, searchable by ZIP. Many providers also treat gambling disorder. Visit findtreatment.gov.
  • NCPG state-by-state referral directory — the NCPG helpline (1-800-522-4700 / chat) routes you to vetted, state-affiliated treatment resources. As documented in the National Association of Administrators for Disordered Gambling Services 2023 budget update (cited in NCPG's NGAGE 3.0 report), 43 of 50 states fund problem gambling services, with total public funding reaching $134 million in 2023 — though that still averages only about 35 cents per resident, and seven states provide no dedicated funding. Many states have free or subsidized programs; availability varies sharply.

Ask specifically for CBT and, if you want it, a clinician trained in motivational interviewing. That's the evidence-based combination.

I want peer support (group, not therapy)

  • Gamblers Anonymous (GA) — 12-step peer fellowship for people who want to stop gambling. In-person, virtual (Zoom), and telephone meetings worldwide. No dues or fees ("Just show up, you will be welcomed"). Find a meeting at gamblersanonymous.org. National Hotline: 855-2CALLGA (855-222-5542). Family and friends can use the parallel Gam-Anon fellowship.
  • SMART Recovery — secular nonprofit using cognitive-behavioral and motivational tools. Trained volunteer facilitators lead free meetings online and in person. Gambling is explicitly one of the addictive behaviors SMART meetings address. Find a meeting at smartrecovery.org/meeting.

GA and SMART Recovery serve different temperaments — GA is a 12-step fellowship with an abstinence focus; SMART is secular, CBT-informed, and accommodates harm-reduction goals. Either can sit alongside professional treatment. Many people try both.

I want to limit my access to gambling

  • State self-exclusion programs. All 39 US states (plus Washington, D.C.) with legal sports betting maintain their own voluntary self-exclusion registries; the NCPG helpline (1-800-522-4700) can route you to your state's program. Once enrolled, licensed operators in that state must block your account, typically for a chosen period (one year, five years, or lifetime). The American Gaming Association's Responsible Marketing Code references self-exclusion as a standard tool across the regulated industry.
  • Operator-level self-exclusion and deposit/time limits. Every licensed US sportsbook and casino app is required to offer self-exclusion and responsible-gaming controls. Look in account settings for "Responsible Gaming."
  • Bank-side blocks. Several US banks (including Chase and Bank of America) now allow customers to block gambling transactions; ask your bank.

6. References

Inline citations above; full references here.

Evidence base for interventions

  • Augner, C., Vlasak, T., Aichhorn, W., & Barth, A. (2022). Psychological online interventions for problem gambling and gambling disorder: A meta-analytic approach. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 151, 86–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.04.006
  • Bergeron, P.-Y., Giroux, I., Chrétien, M., & Bouchard, S. (2022). Exposure therapy for gambling disorder: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Current Addiction Reports, 9(3), 179–194. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-022-00428-5
  • DiClemente, C. C., Corno, C. M., Graydon, M. M., Wiprovnick, A. E., & Knoblach, D. J. (2017). Motivational interviewing, enhancement, and brief interventions over the last decade: A review of reviews of efficacy and effectiveness. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 31(8), 862–887. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000318
  • Dowling, N. A., Merkouris, S. S., Rodda, S. N., Smith, D., Aarsman, S., Lavis, T., Lubman, D. I., Austin, D. W., Cunningham, J. A., Battersby, M. W., & O, S. C. (2021). GamblingLess: A randomised trial comparing guided and unguided internet-based gambling interventions. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(11), 2224. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10112224
  • Eriksen, J. W., Fiskaali, A., Zachariae, R., Wellnitz, K. B., Ørnbøl, E., Stenbro, A. W., Marcussen, T., & Petersen, M. W. (2023). Psychological intervention for gambling disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 12(3), 613–630. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2023.00034
  • Gooding, P., & Tarrier, N. (2009). A systematic review and meta-analysis of cognitive-behavioural interventions to reduce problem gambling: Hedging our bets? Behaviour Research and Therapy, 47(7), 592–607. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2009.04.002
  • Kristensen, J. H., Pallesen, S., King, D. L., Hysing, M., & Erevik, E. K. (2023). Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among individuals with problem and disordered gambling: A meta-analytic review. Psychological Medicine. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291723003410
  • McIntosh, C. C., Crino, R. D., & O'Neill, K. (2016). Treating problem gambling samples with cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness-based interventions: A clinical trial. Journal of Gambling Studies, 32(4), 1305–1325. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-016-9602-1
  • Pallesen, S., Mitsem, M., Kvale, G., Johnsen, B.-H., & Molde, H. (2005). Outcome of psychological treatments of pathological gambling: A review and meta-analysis. Addiction, 100(10), 1412–1422. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2005.01204.x
  • Petry, N. M., Ginley, M. K., & Rash, C. J. (2017). A systematic review of treatments for problem gambling. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 31(8), 951–961. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000290
  • Pfund, R. A., Forman, D. P., Whalen, S. K., Zech, J. M., Ginley, M. K., Peter, S. C., McAfee, N. W., & Whelan, J. P. (2023). Effect of cognitive-behavioral techniques for problem gambling and gambling disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Addiction, 118(9), 1661–1674. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16221
  • Pfund, R. A., Peter, S. C., McAfee, N. W., Ginley, M. K., Whelan, J. P., & Meyers, A. W. (2023). Cognitive-behavioral treatment for gambling harm: Umbrella review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 104, 102336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2023.102336
  • Quilty, L. C., Wardell, J. D., Thiruchselvam, T., Keough, M. T., & Hendershot, C. S. (2019). Brief interventions for problem gambling: A meta-analysis. PLOS ONE, 14(4), e0214502. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214502
  • Rodda, S. N., Merkouris, S. S., Abraham, C., Hodgins, D. C., Cowlishaw, S., & Dowling, N. A. (2018). Therapist-delivered and self-help interventions for gambling problems: A review of contents. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(2), 211–226. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.44
  • Yakovenko, I., Quigley, L., Hemmelgarn, B. R., Hodgins, D. C., & Ronksley, P. (2015). The efficacy of motivational interviewing for disordered gambling: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Addictive Behaviors, 43, 72–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.12.011

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