Tele-MANAS
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare lists the toll-free short code 14416 and 1800-89-14416 for Tele-MANAS.
View official programme18+ · Support and harm reduction
Responsible gaming starts with the freedom to stop
If gambling is affecting money, sleep, work or relationships, the priority is not a better strategy—it is reducing access, protecting essentials and getting support. You do not need to wait for a crisis.
The “Sign up” path opens our current India status guide; it does not create an account.
Act today
A practical stop plan
- Pause access. Log out, uninstall apps and block gambling-related sites on your devices.
- Separate essentials. Move rent, food, debt payments and family funds into an account not used for gambling.
- Remove easy credit. Lower transaction limits and disable unnecessary credit or wallet access.
- Tell one trusted person. Ask them to help you stick to a clear no-spend period.
- Write down the trigger. Note what happened before the urge—stress, boredom, alcohol, sport or a loss.
- Seek professional support. Gambling harm can overlap with anxiety, depression and crisis; help is available.
Cybercrime helpline
Report suspected online financial fraud immediately and complete the report on the national portal.
Open official portalNational Consumer Helpline
The Department of Consumer Affairs lists assistance from 8:00 to 20:00 and an online grievance portal.
Open official portalRecognise harm
Signals that a pause is overdue
- Chasing a loss with a larger stake
- Borrowing or missing essential payments
- Hiding transactions or time spent
- Feeling restless or angry when trying to stop
- Using gambling to escape distress
- Believing one win will solve accumulated debt
A useful reframe
Losses are not a debt owed by the next game
Each new stake creates new risk. It does not recover the past or make a future result more likely. Recording the total cost honestly and stopping access is more protective than trying to reach a psychological “break-even” point.