Between scratch cards and Christmas lights: why December can be a trigger for gambling addiction.

December is full of triggers: New Year’s lottery tickets, scratch-card promotions, special online bonuses, sports fixtures, “one-off” deals… It can look harmless, but for someone carrying underlying trauma, or someone who’s not feeling great and is vulnerable to gambling, this can be an incredibly difficult month. What feels like a joke to one person can be a trigger for someone sensitive to gambling — something that sets everything off again, or even leads to a relapse.

At Yes We Can Clinics, we see every year just how quickly the line between “joining in for fun” and “losing control” can blur. Since 2022, the number of registrations for gambling addiction has increased by 50%. Just having a little flutter. A casual game of chance with friends. Scratching off a box every day. And before you know it, the line shifts: more often, for longer, for more. All while you promise yourself it really is the last time.

Gambling isn’t about the prize — it’s about the moment before it: those few seconds where everything feels possible, where your heart beats faster, where life feels lighter for just a moment. But that light feeling often turns quickly into regret, restlessness, shame, money stress, and the urge to ‘put it right’ by playing just one more time. Not because you’re not strong enough, but because the pain underneath is asking for attention.

December isn’t risky because there’s more to win, but because there are more ‘excuses’ to play. And because it so often happens in silence. Does this feel familiar to you? Then please know: you’re not alone. And you don’t have to do this on your own. At Yes We Can, we believe recovery starts with one small step. One honest message. One choice for yourself. Even in December. Especially in December. Yes You Can — and we’re here for you.

Dealing with gambling triggers in December: what might help you?

1. Make a December plan. When are you most at risk of slipping back into gambling? Is it after dinner, late at night, during sports fixtures, or on a night out? Write down the hardest moments and link each one to an alternative. For example:
   Sports match → watch with someone and agree beforehand: “If I start feeling unsettled, I’ll say it out loud.”

2. Put tools between you and temptation. Not because you “can’t do it”, but because you’re supporting yourself when it gets hard. Limits, blocks and unsubscribing from bonus emails can make a real difference. Consider putting a gambling block in place.

3. Choose one buddy and confide in them. Someone you can open up to — and message before you start playing. One text can be enough to interrupt autopilot.

4. Meetings. December is often busier, more emotional and more intense. That’s exactly why it helps not to wait until things go wrong, but to build in support beforehand. Schedule one extra meeting per week in December from now on.