Apps and tools to quit gambling
There are four different kinds of tool here and they solve different problems. Most people need two of them, not one.
The four categories
People usually search for "an app to quit gambling" as if it's one thing. It isn't.
- Blockers — make betting harder to reach
- Self-exclusion — makes the operator close your account
- Trackers — make progress visible and give you tools for urges
- Support — people, professional or peer
They aren't substitutes for each other. A tracker won't stop you betting at 1am; a blocker won't help you sit through an urge.
1. Blockers
What they do: block gambling sites and apps at the device or network level, ideally in a way that's hard to reverse quickly.
Options:
- Your phone's built-in controls. Free, already installed, and genuinely effective if you set the passcode properly — step-by-step for iPhone here. Most people should start here.
- Dedicated blocking software such as Gamban, which targets gambling sites and apps specifically across devices. Usually paid.
- BetBlocker, a free blocking tool run by a registered charity. Worth knowing about if cost is a barrier.
- Bank-level gambling blocks. Many banks let you decline gambling transactions, often with a cooling-off delay before it can be switched off. Free, and it blocks the money rather than the app.
The catch: a blocker you can lift in thirty seconds isn't a blocker. Whatever you choose, the reversal has to be slower than a craving.
2. Self-exclusion
What it does: you register, and operators are required to close your accounts and stop marketing to you for a set period.
In the US this runs state by state through the state gaming commission or lottery. In the UK, GAMSTOP covers licensed online operators nationally.
Why it's different: it's the only option on this page that works from the operator's side rather than yours. You can't undo it in a bad moment, which is precisely the point. It's free, and it's underused.
3. Trackers
What they do: count the time you've been off, calculate what you've kept, give you something to do when an urge hits, and record progress so a slip doesn't feel like it erased everything.
What to look for:
- Something usable during an urge, not just a day counter
- A slip handled without shaming you — and without wiping your history
- Data kept on your device rather than on someone's server
- Honest pricing and a cancel path that isn't hidden
Where ours fits: i'm done. is a tracker. It counts your days and your money, and it has a set of tools for the moment an urge hits. It does not block anything — so if betting is one tap away right now, a blocker is the more urgent purchase and it should come first.
4. Support
No app substitutes for this, and any app claiming otherwise is overselling.
- Helplines. Free, confidential, 24/7 — and open to family members too. In the US: 1-800-MY-RESET.
- Peer groups such as Gamblers Anonymous, in person and online.
- Professional treatment. Gambling disorder is a recognised condition with established treatment. If you've tried repeatedly and haven't been able to stop, this is the appropriate next step rather than another app.
What most people actually need
A blocker plus one other thing.
The blocker handles the moments when you're not thinking clearly. The second thing — a tracker, a group, a person — handles everything else. Choosing between them is the wrong question; they're doing different jobs.
If you can only do one thing today: set up the free blocking already built into your phone, and use a passcode you don't know.
The tracking piece
If you've got the blocking sorted, this is the part that keeps the days visible.
Run your number Get the app on the App Store