For families

Ghar mein kisi ko satta ya betting ki aadat hai?

You are not the first family to go through this, and it is not your fault. You can talk here too — about them, and about what it is doing to you.

If you are worried right now

If they talk about ending their life, or you think they might, call Tele-MANAS 14416 (24x7, free) — and if anyone is in danger right now, call 112. Stay with them if you can.
If someone is threatening them over money, do not pay out of fear tonight. Keep the messages, and if anyone feels unsafe, call 112.

Pick a calm moment, not straight after a loss or a fight. Say what you have noticed and how it makes you feel, rather than what kind of person they are.
Shame keeps people gambling in secret. “I am with you, and I want to understand” gets further than “how could you”.
Ask for the real number — what has gone, and what is owed. Knowing it is frightening, but a plan can only start from the truth.
One conversation will not fix it. Expect to have it more than once.

Keep your own money, cards, UPI and passwords separate for now. This is not punishment; it takes the next bet out of easy reach — many people who are trying to stop ask for exactly this.
Think carefully before paying off a betting debt in a hurry or signing for a new loan. Agree a plan together first, so the money clears the debt and does not fund the next bet.
Gold, jewellery and savings are often the first to go. Keep them where you control them.

Living with someone’s gambling is exhausting — the worry, the lies, the money. Your own sleep, work and health matter too.
Tell one person you trust. Carrying this alone makes it heavier.
Tele-MANAS (14416) is for you as well, not only for them — free and 24x7, in English, Hindi and 20+ regional languages.

For you: the chat is free, any time, in Hindi, English or Hinglish. Ask what to say, what to do about the money, or just say how it feels. Talk to Milind.
For them: they can start on WhatsApp with no sign-up — +91 93515 99330. Milind gambled for fifteen years and stopped; many people find it easier to say the truth to someone who has been there.
A call with Milind: 60 minutes one to one, ₹2,000, paid by UPI. It is not therapy or a crisis service, and sessions are recorded and uploaded to Milind’s YouTube channel — any name is fine. About the session.

For anything else, write to hello@talktomilind.com.