Debts associated with gambling activity are reported to be driving record demand for financial support services, with both GamCare and PayPlan revealing a growing pressure on UK households to manage household expenses amid a cost-of-living squeeze.
PayPlan, one of the UK’s largest free debt advice providers, reported 21,000 contacts to its organisation in January 2026, up 22% year-on-year, as more individuals sought help in managing financial distress.
Meanwhile demand for its GamCare’s Money Guidance Service reached a monthly high in the same month, with 233 referrals to the service in January – almost three times the level seen a year earlier.
Over the course of 2025, however, referrals to the Money Guidance Service doubled, with 1,954 individuals seeking financial support following gambling losses, compared to 923 the year prior.
Referrals from GamCare into PayPlan also rose 34% year-on-year, highlighting closer coordination between gambling support services and debt advice providers.
The organisation said that problem gambling has often been cited as a concern by many of those seeking help, noting that players impacted by gambling are increasingly overlapping with unsustainable debt levels.
Financial harm has also intensified, with total reported debt rising to £7.2m in 2025, up from £2.8m in 2024. The average debt per person increased to £21,269. These January figures indicate the trend is accelerating into 2026.
Emma Gibbons, Vulnerability Lead at PayPlan, said that the organisation is witnessing the financial consequences of gambling harm first-hand: “We’re seeing first-hand how gambling-related harm is increasingly linked to debt. The rise in referrals from GamCare reflects the growing number of people who feel overwhelmed and unsure where to turn after suffering losses.”
She added: “We know early, compassionate debt advice can make a real difference, through helping people stabilise their finances, understand their options and begin to regain control. We’re proud to work alongside GamCare to ensure everyone that needs it receives non-judgmental support.”
GamCare, which operates the National Gambling Helpline, has increasingly positioned its Money Guidance Service as a bridge between gambling harm treatment and financial recovery.
Since 2024, its advisers have helped individuals identify more than £90,000 in unclaimed benefits, providing an additional safety net for those in financial difficulty.
Growing concerns on the impact of the cost of living requires a change in gambling harms intervention that prioritises the financial vulnerability of individuals.
As noted by Kathy Wade, Money Guidance Service Manager at GamCare, gambling should never be perceived as a solution for financial worries.
She said: “We are concerned that people are telling us they are looking towards gambling to help them cover essential bills, as households feel squeezed by the cost-of-living crisis, but end up in a worse financial situation as a result.
“We realise that many people gamble safely and do so to win money, but we would not encourage anyone to gamble with the goal of making extra money to cover essential bills.”
She added: “Our team is here for anyone who may be unsure of the financial impact that gambling may be having on them, whether their own gambling or someone else’s. Contact GamCare’s National Gambling Helpline now on 0808 8020 133 for more information on how you can get started, and we can help you get back on track.”
