Primary Care Gambling Service
England, Wales, ScotlandProviders might offer support outside of these hours. The free National Gambling Helpline is also available 24/7 on 0808 8020 133.
The Primary Care Gambling Service (PCGS) is a free confidential NHS service for adults over 18 who experience harms from gambling, as well as those who are affected by the gambling behaviour of a family member or friend.
The service offer a holistic, multidisciplinary team approach with mental health nurses, GPs, therapists, peer support and psychiatrists. They also provide support with physical, social and mental health problems.
Support styles
- One-to-one therapeutic support.
- Group therapy sessions.
- Case management.
- Support for family and friends.
- Specialist counselling, including EMDR, PTSD, trauma-based therapy, psychotherapy and Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) - all linking to causes of gambling harm.
- Additional support for physical, social and mental health problems.
- Couples therapy available after individual sessions are completed.
Support settings
- Telephone
- Online
- Face-to-face
Service benefits
- If your gambling is affecting you, they can help you understand the role that gambling plays in your life and provide you with a combination of strategies to make lasting changes.
- If you're affected by someone else's gambling, the service can help you understand what drives people to keep gambling, as well as helping you work through your thoughts and feelings about the situation you find yourself in.
Additional information
- Short term or longer term therapy available.
- Group sessions include women, men or mixed settings and are conducted online weekly.
- Translators available upon request.
This service is part of the National Gambling Support Network (NGSN) which provides free, confidential and personalised support for anyone affected by gambling.
On average, NGSN services can offer treatment within 5 to 9 working days of receiving the request.