At PGF Services we provide free, professional and confidential counselling for gamblers and families affected by someone else’s gambling. We also run education and support groups and provide assistance with self-exclusion from gambling venues.
Our experienced counsellors are here to provide guidance. They will help you set and reach your goals, learn new skills, provide information on the harms from gambling and help reduce chances of gambling relapse. You can bring a support person with you and whānau are always welcome in our counselling sessions.
Our approach in counselling sessions is to empower and encourage individuals and whānau towards wellbeing, and to be mana enhancing in all we do; caring for the spiritual, emotional, physical and intellectual needs of people and communities. We actively seek your feedback so that we can best meet your needs and aspirations.
PGF Services live chat connects you directly to a trained, professional counsellor using our secure platform.
You can talk to us about:
What to expect
Our live chat service is available from 8.30am until 5.00pm Monday to Friday and is a free service.
Please note live chat is not suitable for suicide risk and if any indication of risk is apparent, the counsellor will ask to call you instead, or ask you to call 111.
You are welcome to chat with us anonymously to get support for your own or someone else’s gambling. However, during the chat conversation we may ask you for personal information which helps us identify appropriate support for you. A clinical record is then created and is stored on our secure database (read our privacy policy).
You can request a copy of the clinical record at any time. If you have chosen to remain anonymous a record of your conversation is stored but is not identifiable to any person or place. You can immediately request a copy of the transcript, but it is automatically deleted after 3 months.
Text 5819 is free from any New Zealand mobile and connects you directly with one of our trained gambling harm counsellors.
You can text 5819 to discuss:
What to expect
Our counsellors are available to answer texts between 8.30am – 5pm Monday – Friday. If you contact us outside of these hours, we will reply on the next day we open.
Please note text support is not suitable for suicide risk and if any indication of risk is apparent, the counsellor will call you instead, or ask you to call 111.
You are welcome to text with us anonymously to get support for your own or someone else’s gambling. If you are new to our service, our counsellors may ask for some personal information to help us identify appropriate support for you. A clinical record is then created and is stored on our secure database (read our privacy policy).
If you register with us for counselling and you give us permission to do so, your counsellor can also communicate with you individually via this text number. You can opt out of receiving texts anytime by replying with “STOP” in the text.
Free and confidential counselling and support services throughout New Zealand for anyone impacted by gambling. We have duty counsellors available by phone between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday to answer your questions and provide immediate support.
Freephone 0800 664 262 to speak to a duty counsellor or click here to find contact details for our regional offices.
Email counselling is free, confidential and staffed by professional counsellors. While email counselling is different from face-to-face counselling and not suitable for all circumstances, you will receive the same level of professionalism that you would receive in person. You can:
What to expect
Our email counselling service is checked by a duty counsellor between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday and is a free service. You will receive a response within one working day.
Please note email counselling is not suitable for suicide risk and if any indication of risk is apparent, the counsellor will ask to call you instead, or ask you to call 111.
The benefits of email is it does not require scheduling, you can do this at your convenience and take the time to consider what you want to say to your counsellor. Once registered for email counselling, you can expect your counsellor to respond to your email within two business days and you will have the same counsellor each time you contact us.
Whether you are impacted by your own or someone else’s gambling, you can access free, professional counselling with PGF at any stage.
The benefits of registering with us are:
Our counsellors are all trained in live chat, phone, email and face to face counselling so all methods of contact can be offered by one counsellor. You can register for counselling support using the links below:
I’m concerned about my gambling
I’m concerned about the gambling of someone I know
To register, your name and contact details are required, and a few brief questions are asked about gambling harm and how it’s impacting on you. All information is stored on our secure database and a record can be requested by you anytime.
Take our self-guided test to see just how harmful gambling can be. You’ll receive a personalised report, it only takes a few minutes and is completely anonymous.
Only spend what you can afford.
Remember that you are more likely to lose the money rather than win it. Put your rent, food and bills aside first, then work out how much you have spare and if you want to risk losing it.
Set your limits for time and money before you go.
Set boundaries to prevent spending more or staying longer. These may include leaving your eftpos card at home, setting your alarm on your phone, or paying all your bills first.
Try not to gamble when you are angry or upset.
Emotions like anger, sadness or a feeling of general stress make it more difficult to make clear decisions. This can lead to gambling more than you can afford and make you feel worse. If you are feeling low before you start, gambling won’t make you feel better.
Maintain physical and emotional wellbeing.
Take time for yourself in activities you enjoy that aren’t gambling related. Set some small achievable goals that enhance your sense of wellbeing. These may be to increase your exercise or improve your nutrition, or they may be spending more time with friends that support you and you care about.
If gambling interferes with your personal relationships.
If you spend too much time or money gambling you may miss out on other important events or activities, including spending time with the people you care about. Keep gambling balanced with other things you enjoy and other social activities. Some people used to have other activities but have dropped them as they have gambled more. Plan to go back to or start one other new activity this week.
Gambling is not the answer to any problem.
Gambling won’t make you money or fix something else in your life you are not happy with. Over time the gambling product or place always wins. Any other problems you have will probably only be made worse if you use gambling as a way to get away from them.
If you have someone you trust, such as a partner, a close friend or family member, consider handing over control of your finances to them temporarily. This may help you to start to make changes and address the gambling harms but remember this is not a permanent solution
