Gambling can become urgent when you feel unable to stop, are chasing losses, have used essential money or fear what you might do next. The priority is not to recover money. It is to create distance from gambling, protect essential funds and contact another person.
If you or someone else is in immediate physical danger, contact local emergency services or go to the nearest health facility. Adults seeking counselling can call Lifeline on the toll-free 933 line. Children can call 116.
What to do in the next ten minutes
Stop placing bets and close every gambling account or application currently open. Do not make one final deposit or try to win back a loss. Chasing a loss can increase both the financial damage and the pressure you feel.
Move away from the device you use for gambling. If possible, give your phone, bank card or mobile-money access to a trusted adult for a short period. Do not share passwords or a personal identification number. Instead, ask the person to remain with you while you change limits, remove applications or contact a provider.
Call or message someone you trust and use direct words: “Gambling feels out of control and I need you to stay with me.” If you are an adult and need counselling support, call 933. A child can call 116. These numbers are stated on Lifeline’s current information, checked on 22 August 2026.
Put space between you and gambling
A short interruption can prevent another rushed deposit. Log out of gambling accounts, uninstall gambling applications and turn off promotional notifications. Remove saved payment details where the service allows it. Avoid sports streams, social media accounts or group chats that trigger an urge to bet.
Ask each gambling provider whether it offers account closure, a cooling-off period, deposit limits or self-exclusion. Keep a copy of your request and any response. Availability and duration may differ, so do not assume that one request automatically covers every provider.
Use the practical measures in the responsible gambling guide to build a longer break. Technical blocks can help, but they work best alongside support from another person and tighter control of accessible money.
Protect money needed for daily life
List the money required for food, housing, electricity, transport, medicine, school costs and existing debt payments. Treat these amounts as unavailable for gambling. Move them to an account or arrangement that is harder to access impulsively, where doing so is lawful and practical for you.
Contact your bank or mobile-money provider and ask which spending controls are available. Do not claim a transaction was unauthorised if you approved it. If you genuinely do not recognise a transaction, report that accurately and promptly through the provider’s official support channel.
Do not borrow to gamble, use rent money or accept an expensive short-term loan in an attempt to recover losses. A trusted person can help you review balances without judging you.
| Urgent risk | Action to take now | Record to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Another deposit feels likely | Log out, remove saved payment methods and step away from the device | Time and accounts affected |
| Essential money is accessible | Separate funds for food, housing, transport and medicine | Updated balance and transfer record |
| A gambling account remains open | Request closure, a cooling-off period or self-exclusion | Request and provider response |
| A payment is not recognised | Contact the payment provider through its official channel | Transaction reference and case number |
| You feel alone or overwhelmed | Contact a trusted person or call the appropriate counselling line | Name of the service and agreed next step |
When thoughts of self-harm or immediate danger appear
Treat thoughts of self-harm, suicide, violence or disappearing as an immediate safety concern. Do not remain alone. Move away from weapons, medicines or other items that could be used to cause harm, and ask a trusted person to stay with you.
Go to the nearest health facility or contact local emergency services if there is immediate danger. Adults can also call Lifeline’s toll-free 933 counselling line, while children can call 116. The published Lifeline information supports those numbers, but it does not replace emergency medical care.
If speaking feels difficult, send a short message such as: “I am not safe alone. Please come now and help me reach care.” The gambling loss can be addressed later. Immediate physical safety comes first.
Help someone else without taking control away
Listen without arguing about the amount lost. Ask simple questions: “Are you safe right now?”, “Are you thinking about harming yourself?” and “Can I stay with you while we call for help?” Asking clearly about danger allows the person to answer honestly.
Help them pause access to gambling and protect essential funds, but do not take passwords, impersonate them or make false reports. With their agreement, sit beside them while they contact Lifeline, a health facility, a payment provider or a gambling provider.
Do not lend money for another bet. If you provide practical help, pay an essential bill directly rather than handing over cash. Keep checking in after the immediate crisis, because urges can return when the person is alone.
Complaints, account records and disputed payments
A complaint is separate from urgent emotional support. Stabilise the situation first, then collect account statements, transaction references, messages and copies of closure or exclusion requests. Use dates and exact amounts rather than estimates where records are available.
Send the complaint to the provider through an official support channel and keep its reply. If the issue involves an unrecognised payment, contact the bank or mobile-money provider as well. The complaints guide explains how to organise a clear record without exaggerating what happened.
Zambia’s Ministry of Finance and National Planning lists the Betting Control and Licensing Board and the Lotteries Control Board among its agencies. The Ministry of Tourism also publishes casino-licensing applications, guidance and a checklist. That material is not a current register matching every gambling website address to an authorised operator. Use the licence-checking guide when checking claims, and do not treat a familiar name or polished website as proof of current authorisation.
Why official concern does not decide an individual case
A November 2024 parliamentary debate recorded official concern about fragmented gambling regulation, underage betting and gambling harm. It provides policy context, but debate statements are not a licence register and do not establish whether a particular transaction, complaint or website is lawful.
The ministry records also have defined limits. An agency listing shows that named boards are listed among government agencies. Casino application guidance shows an application process. Neither record, on its own, confirms the current status of a specific online gambling address.
Keep these distinctions clear when asking for help. Immediate counselling, financial safeguards, a provider complaint and a licence check are different tasks. One record should not be stretched to answer a question it was not designed to settle.
parliament.gov.zm · mofnp.gov.zm · mot.gov.zm
Frequently asked questions
Which counselling number can an adult call?
Lifeline’s current information states that adults can call the toll-free 933 counselling line. If there is immediate physical danger, contact local emergency services or go to the nearest health facility rather than relying only on counselling support.
Which number can a child call?
Lifeline states that children can call 116. A child who is in immediate danger should also seek help from a trusted adult, local emergency services or the nearest health facility.
Should I place one more bet to recover my losses?
No. Stop and protect money needed for food, housing, transport, medicine and other essentials. Another bet can deepen the loss and increase distress. Step away from the device and contact a trusted person.
Can a ministry guidance document prove that a gambling website is licensed?
No. The supplied ministry material publishes casino-licensing applications, guidance and a checklist, but it is not a current register connecting every gambling website address to an authorised operator.
What should I keep if I need to make a complaint?
Keep transaction references, account statements, dated messages, copies of closure or exclusion requests and the provider’s responses. Report only what the records support, and separate an unrecognised payment from a payment you knowingly approved.