About Gambling Therapy and Gordon Moody Parent
Gambling Therapy is a global, multi-lingual, text-based online support service operated by Gordon Moody, the UK charity founded in 1971 by Reverend Gordon Moody MBE. Within our licensing methodology, Gambling Therapy sits at the global support layer of player protection — a free, anonymous chat and forum service available in over 200 languages to anyone affected by gambling, anywhere in the world.
The service launched in 2004 as Gordon Moody’s international arm, extending its UK-based residential treatment expertise to a worldwide audience that could not access local helplines or English-only services. Today it operates as a free standalone website and mobile app under the parent charity’s governance.
Gordon Moody itself dates to 1971, when Reverend Gordon Moody MBE opened Gordon House in South London as a hostel for men recovering from gambling harm. Rev Moody had also been the honorary Founder-Patron of the Gamblers Anonymous fellowship in the UK until his death in 1994 — a heritage that places the charity at the root of organised British gambling-harm support.
Services and Multi-Lingual Reach
Gambling Therapy is text-first by design. There is no phone helpline; users reach trained advisers through live chat, email, forum posts, and scheduled online groups. The format makes it easier to take a first step in a moment of distress, and lets users stay anonymous if they prefer — no real name or email address is required.
Support is provided in more than 200 languages through a combination of native-speaking advisers and translation software tools, with mobile-responsive forums and chat tools because around 80% of clients contact the service from a phone. Service options include:
- Live one-to-one text chat with Gambling Therapy advisers
- Multilingual peer forums across language communities
- Weekly text-based peer support groups
- Friends and family support tracks (groups + forum area)
- Self-assessment quiz and self-help resources
Live one-to-one hours run extended-day windows rather than full 24/7 (currently 9am to 2am weekdays and 10am to 10pm at weekends, UK time). Forums and self-help tools remain accessible at any time.
How Gambling Therapy Complements UK Cluster Support
The service sits alongside, not against, GamCare‘s phone-first National Gambling Helpline in Great Britain. Both are National Gambling Support Network partners. The practical split is straightforward: GamCare leads on phone helpline and GB-resident 1:1 treatment; Gambling Therapy leads on text-based contact and global multi-lingual reach.
The Gordon Moody parent charity adds further layers UK readers can route to directly — residential treatment at men’s centres in the West Midlands and on the Kent/London borders, a women-specific residential programme launched in 2021, and a Retreat & Counselling programme delivered face-to-face and online.
From 2025, Gordon Moody also operates a strategic referral collaboration with Birches Health in the United States, opening a transatlantic clinical pathway for US users who need specialist gambling-harm care that local providers cannot match.
Funding, Governance, and the 2026 Statutory Levy Era
Historically, Gordon Moody — and therefore Gambling Therapy — received the majority of its treatment funding through grants channelled from the gambling industry’s voluntary levy via GambleAware. Individual donations, corporate supporters, and one-off grants (including core funding for the 2021 women’s residential centre from InTouch Games Limited) covered the rest.
From April 2026, that voluntary funding route has been replaced by a statutory levy on gambling operators, collected by the Gambling Commission and distributed through DCMS. NHS England now commissions treatment under that new system, with Gordon Moody among the charities eligible for treatment-strand funding.
Governance sits with Gordon Moody’s Trustee board, chaired by Claire Arnold, with ambassador and outreach support from former Premier League footballer John Hartson and Business Development Manager Clarke Carlisle. The Gambling Therapy service runs as a Gordon Moody-branded global product.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Gambling Therapy and who can use it?
How does Gambling Therapy differ from GamCare?
Is Gambling Therapy a free, anonymous service?
Final Take
Best for: anyone outside Great Britain, anyone needing multi-lingual support, or anyone who prefers text-based contact over a phone call. Gambling Therapy is the most practical entry point into Gordon Moody’s wider treatment portfolio for users in 200+ language communities who cannot rely on an English-only helpline.
Consider another option if: you are a Great Britain resident who wants 24/7 phone access — route to GamCare on 0808 8020 133. If you need UK residential treatment, contact Gordon Moody directly through its main charity website rather than the Gambling Therapy chat service.
