Gambling addiction treatment in Europe: country routes

Begin with your country, language and care needs

Europe has different health systems and support pathways. Do not treat a foreign-language website, a gambling licence or an exclusion register as proof that a treatment service can see you. Ask about residence, referral requirements, costs and language before booking.

If your country is not listed

Ask your local public health service or family doctor about gambling-related addiction care. The support finder includes further national contacts and an international starting point. Gambling Therapy: live support offers text-based support; check its current languages and hours. It should not be treated as a substitute for local emergency care or a promised clinical referral.

Moving or seeking care across borders

Before using a remote provider in another country, ask whether it can lawfully and practically treat someone at your location, how fees and records are handled, and what happens if you need in-person care. Translation on a webpage does not establish that appointments are delivered in that language. For an ongoing course, discuss continuity if you travel or move.

Keep treatment separate from exclusion

A national register addresses access to the gambling services in its stated scope. Treatment addresses a person's needs through a care relationship. Ask a local service how to combine practical restrictions with support, rather than expecting a single registration to resolve every difficulty.

Prepare for a first conversation

You do not need a perfect account of every bet. Describe what feels difficult now: stopping, urges, money, relationships or daily routines. Mention other health concerns to the qualified professional so they can consider the whole situation.

1. Say what you want help with. For example: “I keep returning after deciding to stop.”
2. Explain access needs. Ask about language, disability access, appointment format and a safe way to contact you.
3. Ask about the next step. Find out whether this is an assessment, a referral or ongoing support, and who you should contact if plans change.

Keep personal notes somewhere private. We do not collect symptoms, treatment requests or questionnaire answers, and our editorial email is not a counselling service.

Questions to ask a treatment provider

• Who will assess me, and what professional registration or qualification do they hold?
• Do you work specifically with gambling-related problems?
• What does this approach involve, and how will we review whether it is helping?
• What are all the charges, waiting times and cancellation terms?
• How are my information and confidentiality handled, including any limits?
• What support is available between appointments, and where should I go for urgent help?
• Can you help relatives separately, and what happens when this course ends?

No provider should need you to continue gambling to demonstrate that you deserve help. Be cautious of guaranteed cures, fixed recovery deadlines or pressure to pay before you understand the service.

Support for family and friends

You can seek advice about your own wellbeing and boundaries even when the other person is not ready to engage. Ask the service whether it supports affected others. Avoid making yourself the sole monitor of someone else's behaviour or taking responsibility for guaranteeing recovery.

Read the guide for loved ones · Print a support-planning worksheet · Plan a response to a difficult moment