Gambling Helpline Numbers in Asia

The numbers at a glance

If you only need a number to dial right now, here it is, jurisdiction by jurisdiction. Details on each line, including hours, costs and what the people who answer can do for you, follow in the sections below.

If you are not sure whether gambling has become a problem for you or someone close to you, the signs of a gambling problem page walks through the warning signs, and the gambling self-assessment tests page explains the screening questionnaires counselors use.

Singapore: National Problem Gambling Helpline 1800-6-668-668

Singapore's main gambling helpline is the National Problem Gambling Helpline, run by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), at 1800-6-668-668¹. The line and its companion webchat are available daily from 8am to 11pm and are manned by trained para-counselors².

The helpline and webchat cover the full range of NCPG services: counseling, self-exclusions and visit limits, family exclusions and visit limits, third-party exclusions and visit limits, and exclusions imposed by law². So you can call not only to talk about a gambling problem but also to start the paperwork for an exclusion order or ask what your options are for a family member whose gambling is harming the household.

A few practical points worth knowing before you dial:

• Call cost. The line itself is free, but airtime charges apply for mobile calls to 1800 service lines, so the minutes may be billed against your mobile plan².
• After hours. Outside 8am to 11pm, the webchat is closed too. If your situation is urgent overnight, the crisis lines across Asia page lists 24-hour services you can reach instead.
• Other ways in. NCPG can also be reached at 6354 8154 for help with exclusion applications and status checks, and by email at admin@ncpg.org.sg¹⁰.
• Debt problems. If gambling losses have left you with debts rather than a gambling urge alone, Credit Counselling Singapore runs a separate line at 6225 5227¹². The gambling and debt page explains what that kind of counseling involves.

If you are calling about someone else's gambling rather than your own, the NCPG has a dedicated route for that: a family member whose gambling has caused financial or emotional distress to the family can be helped through counseling and, if needed, a family exclusion order, which the section below covers⁹.

Hong Kong's 1834 633 and the four counseling centers

Hong Kong's gambling counseling hotline is 1834 633, and it is supported by all four of the Ping Wo Fund counseling and treatment centers, so whoever answers can refer you to the center nearest you³. The Ping Wo Fund is the government-backed body that finances counseling and treatment for problem gamblers and their families, and problem gamblers and their families can call the same number directly for counseling and referral for treatment¹⁴.

The four centers are the backbone of Hong Kong's response to problem gambling, and the hotline is the single front door to all of them³. Two practical contacts worth saving:

• 1834 633, the main gambling counseling hotline³
• 6829 8764, the WhatsApp number for the Caritas Addicted Gamblers Counselling Centre and the Problem Gambling Counselling and Treatment Services center in Tsuen Wan¹⁵

The Hong Kong Jockey Club, which operates the city's legal betting, prints the treatment and counseling hotline information in all of its responsible gambling warning messages, information leaflets and betting websites, so the number also appears on betting slips and at off-course betting branches¹⁷. The Club also publishes a self-test on its responsible gambling site if you want to gauge your own betting behavior before calling¹⁴.

Hong Kong's services are delivered in Cantonese and English, and the government pages describing the hotline are published in English, traditional Chinese and simplified Chinese, so the written materials at least cover both scripts³. If you need help in a wider range of languages, the gambling help in your language page lists multilingual services across the region.

Japan: weekday consultation lines

Japan's gambling help lines are more fragmented than Singapore's or Hong Kong's, and most of them keep office hours. The main consultation number for people worried about becoming absorbed in buying betting tickets is 0570-007-221, which is also the representative number for the Nagoya Racecourse operator; it operates Monday to Friday, excluding national holidays and the year-end and New Year period⁶.

For structured counseling rather than a one-off call, the Public Sports Gambling Addiction Counseling Center offers phone counseling, a self-check tool and email counseling, with phone reservations taken on the toll-free number 0120-321-153. Reservations are accepted on weekdays from 9:00 to 17:00, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays and the year-end and New Year period¹⁸.

The sports lottery (toto and BIG) run by the Japan Sport Council has its own customer center at 0120-9292-86, which handles inquiries about the lottery itself and can point players to help¹⁹. Mobile and PHS users who cannot reach the toll-free line can call 098-941-8192, which is a paid call²⁰.

The practical takeaway for Japan: there is no single 24-hour national gambling helpline, and the lines that exist close on weekends and holidays. If you call outside the weekday window, the free online support page lists chat and email services that operate across time zones, and the Gamblers Anonymous and peer support page covers the in-person meetings that fill the gap in countries without round-the-clock phone lines.

Philippines: (02) 8248-9568, available 24/7

The Philippines runs the most accessible gambling helpline in the region covered by this site. The National Problem Gambling Helpline (NPGH) at (02) 8248-9568 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week⁴.

The helpline was launched on May 26, 2026, in partnership with the Seagulls Flock Organization Inc., and it serves as a 24/7 support platform for individuals struggling with gambling-related issues⁵. It is staffed by trained para-counselors and mental health professionals who provide confidential assistance and counseling⁵. PAGCOR, the national regulator, has ordered that gambling advertisements be replaced with problem gambling helpline materials, so the number is being pushed into public view across the country's gambling venues⁵.

Alongside the state helpline, Gamblers Anonymous Philippines can be contacted at 0915 938 2808²¹. That is a peer-support route rather than a professional counseling line; the Gamblers Anonymous and peer support page explains how the two kinds of help differ.

South Korea's gambling support lines

South Korea's gambling help numbers are spread across the operators that run legal betting. The Healthy Gambling Operation Team, which handles responsible gambling for the cycling (K-Cycle) operator, can be reached at 02-2067-5577⁷. The Korea Racing Authority, which runs horse racing betting, publishes an ARS betting helpline at 1566-9977, which is primarily a betting information line but is the published contact point for the racing operator²².

Neither line is advertised as a 24-hour counseling service, so treat them as office-hours contacts and expect Korean-language service. If you are an expat or visitor in Korea, the gambling help for expats and visitors page lists English-language alternatives.

Other places in Asia

Not every jurisdiction in the region has a dedicated gambling helpline. Here is what exists elsewhere:

• Macau. The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ), the casino regulator, can be reached at (853) 2856 9262⁸. This is a general regulator contact rather than a counseling line, but it is the official point of contact for casino-related matters.
• Australia (for reference). GambleAware NSW runs a Chinese-language service at 1800 858 858, free of charge and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with confidential conversations²³. This is aimed at Chinese-speaking communities in Australia but is a useful reference point for what a fully resourced helpline looks like.
• United Kingdom (for reference). The National Gambling Helpline at 0808 8020 133 serves England and Scotland, free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week²⁴.

For jurisdictions in Asia with no dedicated line at all, the general mental health or community services lines are the fallback, and the safer gambling in Asia overview page maps what exists where. If you are in a country with no local service, the Gambling Therapy page describes a multilingual online support service that operates worldwide.

Who staffs the lines and what they offer

The people who answer these calls are not volunteers reading from a script. The Philippines' NPGH is manned by trained para-counselors and mental health professionals who provide confidential assistance and counseling⁵. Singapore's helpline and webchat are manned by trained para-counselors².

What that means in practice when you dial:

• A conversation, not a sign-up. The counselor will listen to your situation, ask what kind of help you are looking for, and talk through options. Nothing is forced.
• Referral to face-to-face counseling. In Hong Kong, the 1834 633 line connects you directly to the four counseling and treatment centers, which provide ongoing treatment, not just phone advice³.
• Help with exclusion paperwork. In Singapore, the helpline covers the whole NCPG service range, including self-exclusions, visit limits and family exclusions, so the counselor can walk you through an application on the same call².
• Confidentiality. The services describe their conversations as confidential⁵. If you want to understand exactly what is recorded and who can see it, the is gambling help confidential page goes through the privacy questions.

If you are calling about someone else, a partner, parent or child, the counselors handle that too. NCPG's guidance for people worried about a family member runs through the same helpline, and family exclusion applications start there⁹. The help for families of gamblers page covers the wider support available to relatives.

Hours and call costs: what to expect when you dial

Hours vary more than you might expect, so check before you assume someone will pick up at 2am:

• Singapore: helpline and webchat daily, 8am to 11pm². Airtime charges apply for mobile calls to 1800 service lines².
• Hong Kong: 1834 633, supported by all four centers; no 24-hour operation is advertised³. WhatsApp at 6829 8764 reaches the Caritas and Tsuen Wan centers¹⁵.
• Japan: 0570-007-221, Monday to Friday only, closed on national holidays and over the year-end and New Year period⁶. Counseling reservations at 0120-321-153, weekdays 9:00 to 17:00¹⁸.
• Philippines: (02) 8248-9568, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week⁴.
• South Korea: 02-2067-5577 for the Healthy Gambling Operation Team; hours are not stated in the published information⁷.

If the line you need is closed and the situation is not urgent, the free online support page lists chat and email services that run on different schedules. If it is urgent, use the crisis lines page instead.

Self-exclusion and family exclusion orders in Singapore

Singapore has the most developed exclusion system in the region, and the helpline is the front door to all of it. A Self-Exclusion blocks you from the casinos (Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands), jackpot machine rooms at private clubs, and Singapore Pools online betting²⁵.

How to apply. The application is free and can be done online with SingPass at the NCPG online portal, or in person at the NCPG office at 510 Thomson Road, #05-01, SLF Building, Singapore 298135²⁶. Organizations with a Corppass account can also facilitate group Self-Exclusion applications for their employees, members or associated individuals, with the individual's consent mandatory²⁵. Once in force, the exclusion remains until you successfully apply to revoke it through NCPG, again online via SingPass²⁶.

Checking your status. You can check both exclusion status and visit limit status online: log in at the NCPG website with SingPass and use the Check Exclusion Status or Check Visit Limit Status services¹¹. If you need help with the process, contact NCPG at 6354 8154 or visit a ServiceSG center¹¹.

Family exclusions. If a family member's gambling has caused serious harm to the family, you can apply for a Family Exclusion Order or Family Visit Limit covering the same venues: the two casinos, jackpot machine rooms at private clubs, and Singapore Pools online betting¹³. The NCPG can ban or limit the person's visits where the gambling behavior has caused harm to the family²⁸. The family exclusion orders page covers this route in detail.

Exclusions by law. Some exclusions need no application at all. Undischarged bankrupts and persons on government-funded social assistance programs or subsidy schemes are automatically banned from entering the casinos²⁸. The automatic casino exclusion page explains who falls into this category.

After an exclusion ends. If you were excluded from Singapore Pools online betting and are no longer under any exclusion order, you log in to the NCPG portal with SingPass or contact NCPG at 6354 8154 to confirm your status, then contact Singapore Pools customer service at 6786 6688 to reactivate your account²⁶.

For how exclusion works day to day, what happens to your accounts and whether you can cancel early, see what happens after you self-exclude and can you cancel a self-exclusion early.

Where counseling happens after the call

The helplines are the entry point; the ongoing help happens at counseling centers. Here is what the published information says about the centers behind the phone lines:

• Hong Kong. Four counseling and treatment centers, funded through the Ping Wo Fund, provide gambling counseling and treatment, and all four support the 1834 633 hotline³. The Caritas Addicted Gamblers Counselling Centre and the Tsuen Wan center take WhatsApp messages at 6829 8764¹⁵. Walk-in opening hours are not published, so call the hotline to book.
• Japan. The Public Sports Gambling Addiction Counseling Center offers phone counseling, a self-check tool and email counseling, with phone reservations on 0120-321-153, weekdays 9:00 to 17:00, excluding weekends, national holidays and the year-end and New Year period¹⁸.
• Singapore. NCPG provides Harm Assessment and counseling appointments, bookable online through the NCPG portal or by phone at 6354 8154¹¹.

What counseling itself involves, how long it takes and what it costs is covered on the gambling addiction treatment page, and the residential options on the gambling rehab centers page. If you have finished treatment and are worried about slipping back, the aftercare and relapse page picks up from there.