An individual who has realized that he needs help in dealing with his gambling problem has already made the initial step by facing the truth. The next major step is to acquire help with his problem.

There are a few ways to acquire gambling help. A person can call a helpline for gamblers through which he can talk to professional counselors who are trained to provide confidential advice through the telephone. If he prefers a more personal kind of help, he can sign up for a face-to-face problem counseling session. This type of gambling help can be a one-time session or a series of meetings, and it can be done individually or with a group. Similar to the compulsive gambler, his friends and family may at times also need support in dealing with the effects of his gambling problem. Friends and family members can also acquire services for gambling help counseling.

Moving on, another significant form of help comes from the very person who has the gambling problem. Although there are available institutions and groups who offer gambling help, a compulsive gambler can start the change within himself through a few simple steps. First, he needs to find an alternative to gambling, which can be a recreational activity or a hobby. Second, he should find a confidant with whom he can talk about his problem. Doing so can alleviate the pain of bearing the ordeal by himself and reduce the stress which causes him to continue gambling. Next, a compulsive gambler can keep a journal of his gambling behavior. Here he can write down his thoughts to help him recognize and manage the urge to gamble.