Gambling Problem in the UAE? Where to Get Help, and What Actually Exists

Last updated: 22 October 2026

The UAE has no national gambling helpline. As of October 2026 there is no phone number you can ring that is dedicated to gambling problems. The help that does exist comes from three places: the tools inside the two licensed operators (the UAE Lottery and Play971), free online counselling through the mental-wellbeing platform Takalam, and general mental-health and addiction lines run by government bodies. This page sets out each one, who runs it and how to reach it, using only contact details the operators or authorities have published themselves.

Key takeaways

• There is no dedicated national gambling helpline in the UAE. We found none on the regulator's site, the operators' sites or in government announcements.
• The UAE Lottery and Play971 both offer deposit limits, time-outs from 72 hours and self-exclusion from six months. A self-exclusion cannot be shortened once it is set.
• Both operators refer players to Takalam, a UAE online counselling platform. At launch in December 2024, the UAE Lottery said the programme included free online counselling.
• The regulator's framework describes a national Voluntary Self-Exclusion programme, but we could not find a public way to sign up for it.
• For general emotional support in Dubai, the government-run Itma'en line is free on 800506, daily from 9am to midnight. In an emergency, call 999.

Is there a gambling helpline in the UAE?

No. We checked the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority's (GCGRA) responsible-gaming pages, its contact page, both licensed operators' sites and recent government announcements. None of them publishes a phone line for gambling problems. The GCGRA's contact page has an online form with a "Complaints" category and its Abu Dhabi Global Market address. It lists no telephone number for the public.

This is a real gap. The regulator's Responsible Gaming Framework says operators must be "trained to provide information about access to treatment options available within the UAE". In practice, that means each operator points you to its own tools and to Takalam.

What help does the UAE Lottery offer?

The UAE Lottery, run by The Game LLC, has a "Play Responsibly" section on its website with four tools.

• Deposit limits. You can set daily, weekly or monthly limits. A lower limit takes effect immediately. A higher one applies only after the current limit period ends.
• Time-Out. This blocks your account for anywhere from 72 hours to six weeks. You can make a time-out longer, but you cannot shorten or cancel it. You also stop receiving marketing.
• Self-Exclusion. This suspends your account for between six months and five years. During that time you can still log in to see your play history and withdraw your balance, but you cannot deposit or play. In the operator's words, once set, the period "cannot be extended or removed until the selected time period has elapsed".
• Self-Assessment. A short confidential questionnaire. If your answers suggest a serious problem, the site offers self-exclusion, a time-out or a referral to Takalam.

The operator's published customer service contacts are 8002365 and Support@theuaelottery.ae. These are general support lines, not a counselling service. They are the place to ask for help setting a limit or exclusion if you cannot do it in the app. The Lottery says players must be 18 or older.

Our explainer on UAE Lottery rules covers how accounts and prizes work.

What tools does Play971 have?

Play971 is the UAE's only licensed online casino and sportsbook. It is for players aged 21 and over and requires an Emirates ID. As reported by Khaleej Times in June 2026, citing the platform's responsible-gaming section, it offers:

• deposit limits by day, week or month, where reductions apply at once and increases only after the period ends
• time-outs from 72 hours up to 42 days, during which you cannot play or deposit but can withdraw
• self-exclusion from six months, which "cannot be reversed or shortened until the selected duration ends"

Gulf News reported that Play971 also directs players to outside counselling, including Takalam. Play971's own responsible-gaming page did not load when we checked on 17 October 2026, so these details are as reported. Our Play971 responsible gaming explainer goes through the settings in more detail.

What is Takalam, and is it free?

Takalam (Arabic for "talk") is a UAE online mental-wellbeing platform. It matches users with counsellors through its app and its website, which has Arabic and English versions. The UAE Lottery's Takalam page describes "online counseling, mental health assessments, and screening tools". It says Takalam is there for anyone who feels "gaming may be affecting your well-being".

When the partnership was announced in December 2024, the UAE Lottery said it included a dedicated site offering "unlimited free online counseling and coaching sessions". We have not seen a newer statement on whether the free offer still runs on the same terms. The safest route is Takalam's main site, takalamhere.com, or the referral the UAE Lottery offers at the end of its self-assessment.

A note on one link. Some older articles, including the December 2024 launch coverage, link to a Takalam "getsupport" subdomain for the gaming programme. When we checked on 17 October 2026, that subdomain showed the normal Takalam page to an ordinary browser, but showed unrelated spam pages to Google's search crawler. That usually means a site has been compromised, so we have not linked to it. Takalam's main site showed no such problem when we checked. Use it, or the UAE Lottery's referral, instead.

Can I self-exclude from all gambling in the UAE at once?

Not in any way we could confirm. The GCGRA's Responsible Gaming Framework (the current version, dated May 2024) describes a national Voluntary Self-Exclusion (VSE) programme that the regulator administers. Under the framework, someone on the VSE list:

• is removed from marketing lists
• cannot open a player account
• is ineligible to wager, and to win, with any licensed operator
• is barred from licensed gaming premises

The framework says operators must give players "a link to the VSE site". It also notes that joining does not cancel debts already owed to an operator.

When we checked in October 2026, we could not find a public enrolment page or form on gcgra.gov.ae. Until one appears, self-exclusion works operator by operator. An exclusion on the UAE Lottery app does not, on anything either operator publishes, extend to Play971, Big Ticket or Dubai Duty Free. If you play with more than one, set an exclusion with each. To ask the regulator directly, use the form on its contact page.

This matters more from September 2027. That is when Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah is due to open as the country's first casino, and the framework's premises ban would apply to it.

Who can I call if I am struggling right now?

None of these lines is gambling-specific. All are run or announced by government bodies.

Service — Number — Who runs it — What it covers

• Itma'en — 800506 — Dubai Health, with Dubai's Community Development Authority and Dubai Health Authority — Free, confidential mental-wellbeing support in Arabic and English, daily 9am to midnight
• Hosn — 80044 — National Drug Enforcement Authority — 24-hour confidential support for drug addiction. Its launch statement does not mention gambling
• Police — 999 — Emergency services — Emergencies only, including risk to life
• Ambulance — 998 — Emergency services — Medical emergencies

Itma'en was launched in March 2026. Its official release says it is open to "citizens, residents, and visitors" of all ages, and that cases needing medical follow-up are referred to specialist teams. Gambling often comes with debt, anxiety and family strain, so this is a sensible first call if you need to talk to someone today.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999.

Are there international services that work from the UAE?

Yes. Several are free and online, so they do not depend on where you live.

• Gambling Therapy, run by the UK charity Gordon Moody, offers free advice and emotional support worldwide. It has multilingual forums, and Arabic is among its site languages.
• Gamblers Anonymous lists in-person, virtual and telephone meetings through its international service office in the US.
• GamTalk, an online peer-support chat community, is one of the online resources named in the GCGRA's own framework.

These are not UAE-regulated services, and none of them can block your account with a UAE operator. Use them alongside the operators' self-exclusion tools, not instead of them.

What if the problem is with an unlicensed site?

Offshore casino and betting sites are illegal in the UAE and have no duty to offer limits, exclusion or refunds. The tools above only apply to licensed operators. Our guides to illegal gaming risks and fake lottery and casino apps explain how to recognise them. The GCGRA's licensee register asks people to report unlicensed operators through the Complaints Form on its contact page. If you have lost money to a scam, keep records of every payment and message.

FAQ

Is there a UAE gambling addiction hotline number? No. As of October 2026, no dedicated gambling helpline exists. Use operator tools, Takalam counselling or the general support lines above.

How do I self-exclude from the UAE Lottery? Log in, open Play Responsibly and choose Self-Exclusion, from six months to five years. Customer service is on 8002365 if you need help.

Can I cancel a self-exclusion early? No. Both the UAE Lottery and Play971 say a self-exclusion cannot be shortened or removed before it ends.

Is Takalam counselling free? The UAE Lottery said in December 2024 that its partnership with Takalam included unlimited free online sessions. Check the current terms when you sign up.

Is the Hosn 80044 line for gambling? It was launched for drug addiction, and its announcement does not mention gambling. For emotional support in Dubai, Itma'en on 800506 is the general line.

Will self-excluding cancel my debts? No. The GCGRA framework says joining its self-exclusion programme does not stop an operator from collecting a debt you owed before you joined.

Further reading

• Play971 responsible gaming explained
• Responsible gaming rules in the UAE: what GCGRA requires
• Illegal gaming risks in the UAE
• Is gambling legal in the UAE?
• UAE Lottery rules explained

Sources

• The UAE Lottery, "Play Responsibly" (Player Controls, Self-Assessment, Takalam and Age Restriction tabs) (accessed 17 October 2026): https://www.theuaelottery.ae/Play-Responsibly?key=Play-Responsibly
• GCGRA, "Responsible Gaming Framework" (dated May 2024; file published July 2024): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/media/qrwofjzi/gcgra-responsible-gaming-framework_v50-final-17072024_25.pdf
• GCGRA, "Responsible Gaming" (accessed 17 October 2026): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/responsible-gaming/
• GCGRA, "Contact Us" (accessed 17 October 2026): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/about-us/contact-us/
• Khaleej Times, "Play971 says player protection is 'central' to UAE's first legal betting platform" (8 June 2026): https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/play971-says-player-protection-central-legal-betting
• Gulf News, "24 things UAE players need to know about Play971" (16 December 2025): https://gulfnews.com/technology/gaming/24-things-uae-players-need-to-know-about-play971-the-countrys-first-licensed-internet-gaming-site-1.500381141
• Communicate, "The UAE Lottery launches responsible gaming initiative with Takalam" (23 December 2024): https://communicateonline.me/news/the-uae-lottery-launches-responsible-gaming-initiative-with-takalam/
• Dubai Media Office, "Dubai Health, CDA, and DHA introduce the 'Itma'en' service" (13 March 2026): https://www.mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2026/march/13-03/dubai-health
• WAM, "National Drug Enforcement Authority launches National Campaign for Drug Enforcement" (24 June 2026): https://www.wam.ae/en/article/c0vxk1u-national-drug-enforcement-authority-launches
• Khaleej Times, "UAE launches 24/7 hotline for drug addiction recovery" (20 July 2026): https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/uae-hisn-hotline-drug-addiction-recovery-privacy-legal-immunity
• Dubai Police, home page "Emergency Numbers" (accessed 17 October 2026): https://www.dubaipolice.gov.ae/app/home/
• Gambling Therapy (Gordon Moody): https://www.gamblingtherapy.org/
• Gamblers Anonymous: https://gamblersanonymous.org/