Hold on — if you or someone you care about started gambling more during COVID, you’re not alone. Practical first steps are simple: set hard deposit limits now, pause all saved payment methods where possible, and reach out to a crisis line if debts or distress have spiked; these immediate actions can stop the worst of the harm before we get into longer-term fixes. In the next section I’ll describe how COVID changed gambling patterns so those quick fixes actually target the right problems.
Wow — the pandemic rewired everyday routines, and with pubs and clubs closed many Australians shifted to online pokies, sports betting apps, and new crypto-friendly sites, often playing more frequently and for longer sessions than before. That behaviour change matters because session length, frequency and the speed of online play are major predictors of harm, which means any support program must tackle those three dimensions directly. Next, I’ll outline the evidence for those behavioural shifts and what they mean for people and services.
How COVID Changed Gambling: Evidence and Key Patterns
Something’s off when casual bets become daily rituals; during lockdowns many people who’d never gambled online gave it a go, while regulars increased intensity as other leisure options disappeared. Studies and helpline reports from 2020–2022 registered higher call volumes for online-related harms, and clinicians noticed a younger profile of callers with tech-savvy habits — this suggests support must be digital-first and youth-aware. Below I unpack five specific pandemic-era patterns that services must respond to.
First, session frequency rose: people logged in between chores or during breaks, converting micro-boredom into repeated wagers, and that pattern correlates with chasing losses. Second, stakes shifted — crypto and e-wallet options made deposits frictionless for some, reducing ‘cooling off’ moments; this removed a natural brake on gambling that in-person venues used to provide. Third, isolated players lost social checks — friends or family weren’t around to notice and intervene. Fourth, financial stress increased vulnerability, making smaller but frequent bets more dangerous. Fifth, access to help became harder in early lockdowns as face-to-face counselling paused, highlighting the need for robust online supports. Up next I’ll show what practical support programs looked like during the pandemic and which ones worked best.
What Worked: Support Programs That Adapted During COVID
At first the scramble was chaotic — many services shifted phone lines and counselling online within weeks, and some innovations stuck. Tele-counselling (video and chat), self-guided CBT apps tailored for gambling, and moderated peer support forums became core components of effective responses because they met people where they were: on their phones. These approaches lower access friction and are scalable, and I’ll detail how each component should be delivered.
Tele-counselling: clinicians used short, frequent check-ins rather than long initial assessments to maintain engagement, which lowered dropout rates and allowed quicker risk flagging. Self-guided CBT apps: the best ones combined brief modules (10–15 minutes) with live coach support and automatic limit-setting tools linked to bank cards or e-wallets. Peer support: moderated groups provided social accountability and learning from others’ strategies. Together, these tools form a layered response; next I’ll give a concise checklist you can use immediately if you’re designing or choosing a support program.
Quick Checklist — Immediate Steps for Individuals and Services
If you need something short and actionable, do these things now: 1) Set daily/weekly deposit limits and reduce card balances, 2) Remove stored payment details from gambling sites and apps, 3) Install a site-blocker or use self-exclusion tools on major operators, 4) Book a tele-counselling slot or join a moderated peer group, 5) If debt is urgent, contact a financial counsellor before using more credit — these items reduce both access and escalation risks. After this checklist, I’ll explain common mistakes people make when trying to self-manage gambling problems.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Here’s what I see over and over: people rely solely on willpower, pick an app that’s poorly moderated, or use vague limits that aren’t enforced by the operator or bank. To avoid these traps, choose tools that allow external locks (bank-implemented blocks or third-party blockers), prioritise services with counselor backup, and avoid operators that promote “bonus chasing” as that increases play-through and chasing behaviour. Later I’ll compare support tools so you can see the trade-offs clearly.
Comparison Table: Support Options and Trade-offs
| Tool / Program | Main Strength | Limitations | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telephone helpline | Immediate crisis support, human contact | Limited sessions, may be crowded | Acute distress or suicidal ideation |
| Tele-counselling (video/chat) | Structured therapy with clinician | Requires booking, not always 24/7 | Moderate-to-severe gambling harm |
| Self-guided CBT apps | Convenient, scalable, private | Lower adherence unless paired with coach | Mild-to-moderate problems, early intervention |
| Bank/third-party blocking | Strong, external enforcement | Can be bypassed with other payment methods | High-risk users needing hard limits |
| Peer support groups | Community and ongoing accountability | Quality varies; needs moderation | Maintenance and relapse prevention |
Next I’ll show two short case examples that illustrate how combining tools helps — and where systems can still fail.
Mini Case Examples (Short)
Case A: Sarah, 28, started online pokies in 2020 during lockdown and lost several small sums daily; a bank block plus weekly teletherapy for six weeks reduced her daily sessions and restored control — the coordinated approach worked because the bank block removed friction and therapy re-built coping skills, and I’ll explain what coordination means next.
Case B: Tom, 45, used multiple payment methods including a casino that accepted crypto; he paused credit cards but overlooked crypto deposits and relapsed; lessons: blocks must be comprehensive and include education on alternative payment channels, and that leads into why some operators’ business models make support harder to apply consistently.
On that note, some online operators expanded rapidly during COVID and targeted promotions at home-bound users, which complicates support because rapid product innovation (like instant crypto deposits or in-game feature buys) creates new leakage channels for people trying to self-exclude. To make support programs effective, regulators and operators need to align on enforcement and transparency, which I’ll cover next.
Regulatory and Industry Responses: What Helps and What Doesn’t
Hold on — industry self-regulation alone often falls short unless paired with enforceable obligations like mandatory deposit limits, real-time affordability checks, clear advertising restrictions, and robust refund/suspension processes for flagged accounts. During COVID, jurisdictions that required operators to proactively identify risky patterns and offer outreach saw better short-term outcomes. Next I’ll outline practical policy recommendations for regulators and operators.
Policy recommendations include: 1) mandatory, operator-initiated contact when high-risk indicators appear, 2) integrated third-party blocking infrastructure tied to banks, 3) funding for digital treatment hubs, and 4) standardized outcome reporting so programs can be evaluated. These are doable steps and they point to the final practical section below where I summarise resources and how to pick the right help.
Where to Get Help — Practical Resource Guide (AU)
If you need help in Australia, call a gambling helpline, book a telehealth session with a gambling-trained clinician, or contact a financial counsellor; many services created online intake during COVID, so you can get started the same day in many regions. For people who gamble on newer crypto-enabled sites, check your account settings and remove saved payment options, as operators that added crypto during COVID may not honour the same self-exclusion pathways — this leads us to a short note on operator examples and how to navigate them.
For instance, some crypto-friendly operators introduced instant sign-up and instant play features during lockdowns; while these platforms increased access they also required users to be more vigilant with self-exclusion — as an example of the landscape, see platforms such as 21bit.bet that expanded payment options in the pandemic era and therefore need matched harm-minimisation tools on the user side. In the next paragraph I’ll give concrete criteria for choosing safe operators and support options.
Criteria for choosing safe operators: 1) visible, enforceable self-exclusion and deposit limit tools, 2) transparent KYC and AML processes (so withdrawals and holds are clearly governed), 3) direct links to responsible gambling resources, and 4) clear contact routes for dispute resolution; if an operator lacks these, treat it as higher risk and use third-party blockers. I’ll also note another example to illustrate consistency across platforms.
Another operator-case example makes the point: an operator may advertise fast crypto payouts but not provide easy, centralised self-exclusion; if you play on platforms like 21bit.bet or similar, verify the self-exclusion flow before depositing and ensure you keep records if you request a block, which I’ll explain how to document next.
Documentation and Self-Advocacy: Simple Steps That Help
Document every contact — save chat transcripts, email confirmations, and screenshots of limit settings — because if you need escalation to a regulator or financial counsellor, evidence speeds resolution. Also, use time-stamped bank statements to show patterns if needed; having that paper trail is empowering and it helps practitioners tailor interventions, and next I’ll close with a short FAQ and a final responsible-gambling reminder.
Mini-FAQ
Q: How do I know if my gambling increased because of COVID?
A: Check frequency, session length, money spent per week, and whether payment methods changed (e.g., new crypto or e-wallet use); if two or more of these rose since 2020, consider seeking help and using the checklist above to act quickly.
Q: Are telehealth and apps effective?
A: Yes — when combined with external enforcement (bank blocks or site-level self-exclusion) they reduce relapse and increase engagement; pure self-help apps alone have lower success unless supported by a clinician or coach.
Q: What if my preferred site doesn’t honor self-exclusion?
A: Use bank-level blocks and third-party blockers, document requests, and escalate to the operator’s regulator if necessary; keep records of all communications to strengthen your case.
18+ resources and responsible gambling matter: if gambling is harming your relationships, work, or finances, contact a professional right away, use self-exclusion, and apply bank or third-party blocks before problems escalate — these steps protect you while longer-term therapy takes effect.
Sources
Australian helpline reports 2020–2022 (sector summaries), clinical telehealth adoption data during COVID, and operator product change logs informed this piece; for local assistance contact your state gambling helpline or a financial counsellor. The next block describes who wrote this and why.
About the Author
I’m an AU-based clinician and researcher with experience advising gambling support services and working directly with clients who increased online play during COVID; I focus on practical, low-friction interventions that combine behavioural tools and external enforcement so people can regain control quickly. If you want a plain-language toolkit to implement these steps at your service, reach out to local support networks or a certified clinician — and remember to act early to prevent escalation.