When to call the SADAG crisis line

• You are thinking about ending your life, even if the thought comes and goes.
• You have started planning how, or you have something nearby you could use to hurt yourself.
• A loss, a debt or a secret about gambling feels impossible to face tomorrow.
• You have begun to believe the people around you would be better off without you.
• You have already hurt yourself, or you are frightened that you will.
• Someone close to you has said or shown any of the above.

Not sure which row fits? Start with the crisis line. Reaching out early is never the wrong choice, and the gambling help can follow tomorrow.

• “I've lost money gambling and I'm having thoughts of ending my life.”
• “I'm in debt from gambling and I don't feel safe tonight.”
• “My partner has gambled away our money and I'm scared of what they might do.”
• “I don't know what to say. I just know I'm not okay.”

Find somewhere private if you can, but you do not have to be calm before you dial. If the call drops, phone back. If speaking feels too hard, ask a person you trust to make the call and stay beside you while you talk.

• Tell one person what is going on, and ask them to stay with you or keep checking in.
• If you can, put distance between yourself and anything you might use to hurt yourself, or ask someone to take it away.
• Close the casino tab, log out, and hand your bank card to someone you trust until morning.
• Make no money decisions tonight. Debts, loans and explanations can all wait until you have had help.
• Avoid alcohol and other drugs; they make heavy feelings heavier.
• Save 0800 567 567 in your phone and call again if the feeling returns.

Gambling losses can feel final in the middle of the night. They are a money problem and a health problem, and people work through both with help, one step at a time. Nothing about it has to be solved before morning.

1. 1

   Step 1: Ask directly

   Ask plainly whether they are thinking about suicide. A clear question shows you can hear the answer.

2. 2

   Step 2: Listen first

   Let them talk. This is not the moment to argue about the money or what it means for the family.

3. 3

   Step 3: Stay and call together

   Stay with them, or make sure someone else does, and phone the crisis line together.

4. 4

   Step 4: Get urgent care if needed

   If they have hurt themselves or are in immediate danger, get them to a hospital emergency unit.

Afterwards, look after yourself too. SARGF says family members can get support, and our guide on help for the family of a problem gambler covers the weeks that follow.

1. Today

   Talk it through with the crisis line on 0800 567 567, and let one person know how you are.

2. Tomorrow

   Call the NRGP on 0800 006 008 or WhatsApp 076 675 0710 about the gambling itself. SARGF says counselling after an assessment runs to eight outpatient sessions, with up to two more when a clinician supports it. Our NRGP counselling guide explains the first call.

3. This week

   Put the account out of reach. Springbok says it arranges self-exclusion for a period of your choice, at least one month, when you ask its support team; the wording is in our Springbok self-exclusion guide.

4. The weeks after

   Keep the people who helped you close, and go back to SADAG or the NRGP whenever things feel heavy again. Money plans can wait until you feel steadier.