Hidden gambling spending: how to see it and what to do

Hiding a bet or a payment is common, and it usually comes with a heavy feeling. You are not the only person who has done it. This guide is about getting the picture clear, at your own pace, and deciding who to tell.

Get the picture clear

1. Look at your own statements. Set a quiet time and scroll through your accounts. You are only collecting information, not judging yourself.
2. Close the easy routes. Self exclude, remove saved cards from betting apps, and turn off the deposit shortcuts.
3. Write down what is hidden. One page, in plain words: which apps, which accounts, who does not know. Keep it private for now.

Telling someone

1. Choose one person and one moment. Pick a calm time, not in the middle of an argument or right after a bet.
2. Start with the plain fact. For example: "I have been gambling and hiding it. I want to stop and I need help." Read how to tell my partner I gambled for more wording.
3. Ask for one specific thing. Help with a bank block, sharing a statement each week, or just listening.

If you are not ready yet

1. Start without telling anyone. Stopping without telling anyone is a real first step. Telling someone can come next.

Pause before the next bet

Hold The Bet is free with no account. It shows your own number and reason and holds a 30 second pause before you bet.