Group chatroom

What is the Group Chatroom?

We run regular sessions in the GamCare online chatroom, where users can use live text chat to talk about issues related to problem gambling with other people in similar situations, supported by a GamCare Adviser.

Our Chatroom is a safe and supportive environment. Some sessions might be fairly busy and intense; others will be quieter and more relaxed. Each session is moderated by one of our Advisers, who will welcome you to the chat and be on hand to guide everyone or answer questions if needed.

Chatrooms run for one hour at the following times:

General Chatroom: Everyday at 1pm and 8pm.
Chatroom for family and friends: Thursdays at 9:30pm.
Chatroom run by Peer Aid: Wednesdays and Fridays at 10am. Peer Aid is a volunteer peer support service, provided by individuals with lived experience of gambling harms.

You may briefly see a message which says ‘This Chatroom is for Private Users Only’; this will display while the site establishes a connection to the chatroom and should disappear within a few seconds. If not, please refresh the page.

If for any reason you are unable to access the chatroom, please check the link in the URL bar is gamcare.org.uk/get-support/group-chatroom/

If you have any questions about accessing the chatroom, please email [email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions

How can the Chatroom help me?

The Chatroom can give you space to:

Discuss your day-to-day pressures and the reasons why you may be gambling
Celebrate reaching a goal or milestone in your recovery
Get support if you have a tough day or relapse
Solve problems and share strategies
Friends/relatives of a problem gambler will also find the chatroom a welcoming area for them to express feelings or seek answers.

For people who have just started to address their gambling problem, the chatroom can be a good place to meet people who have been recovering for a long time and can offer guidance, hope and support. Even if you feel like you’ve ‘turned a corner’, you may still need support and reassurance now and then.

What if I find it hard to express myself?

Everyone is different and it’s possible you might feel somewhat shy, embarrassed or just find it hard to turn your feelings into words at first. Our moderator will try to include you and make sure your comments are valued and heard.

The chatroom moderator will say “Hello” to you when you enter the chatroom, but you are welcome to spectate until you feel comfortable chatting.

How do I join the Chatroom?

You will need to be a member of the forum to join the chatroom. You can join the forum by clicking ‘Login’ and then ‘Create Account’ in the top menu. When you have completed your registration, you will have access to both the Forum and the Chatroom when you are logged in.

When you are logged in and the Chatroom is running, you will be able to access the chatroom window at the bottom of this page.