Warning Signs

• Are you or a loved one haunted by bill collectors?
• Do you or a loved one gamble to escape worry, boredom or trouble?
• Do thoughts of gambling disrupt your sleep?
• Do you or a loved one ever gamble longer than originally planned?
• Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations cause you or a loved one to gamble?
• Do you or a loved one celebrate good times with gambling?
• Have you ever had self-destructive thoughts because of problems resulting from gambling?
• Have you or a loved one lost time from work or school due to gambling?
• Do you hide the rent/mortgage or food money because your spouse, partner or other family member gambles it away?
• Do you or a loved one borrow money to finance gambling or to pay back gambling debts?
• Does your spouse, partner or other loved one promise faithfully that she or he will stop gambling, yet continues to gamble?
• Have you noticed a personality change in a loved one as his or her gambling has progressed?
• Is your spouse, partner or other loved one away from home or unavailable to the family of long periods o time due to gambling?

Adolescent Warning Signs

• Unexplained absences from school or classes
• Sudden drop in grades or failure to complete assignments on time
• Change of personality or behavior
• Exaggerated display of money or other material possessions
• Daily or weekly card game
• Bragging about winning at gambling
• Intense interest in gambling conversations
• Unusual interest in newspapers/magazines/periodicals/sports scores
• Unaccountable explanation for new items of value in possession
• Borrowing or stealing money
• Withdrawing from family and friends
• Uncharacteristically forgetting appointments or dates
• Exaggerated use of word “bet” in vocabulary and/or use of gambling language in conversations (e.g. bookie, point spread, underdog, favorite)

Workplace Warning Signs

• Does the employee spend excessive time away from the job? (NOTE: Excessive time away from the job may include extended use of telephone to place bets or check results; reviewing form sheets, racing, sports or the stock pages in the newspaper, when pretending to work; participating in cards, lottery and/or office pools often, etc.)
• Does the employee take unusual amounts of sick time, especially half-days? (NOTE: The compulsive gambler frequently takes excessive time. S/he often suffers from depression, hypertension, ulcers and other health problems. S/he also uses sick time to gamble.)
• Does the employee routinely arrive late, leave early, take long lunches or experience difficulties reporting and/or remaining in scheduled work location(s)?
• Does the employee talk or worry about money problems, or experience money difficulties, resulting in requests for cash advances or loans (i.e. borrowing) from fellow employees and/or employer?
• Does the employee always seem to be the person who starts and/or runs the office pools (e.g. sports, lottery, birth)?
• Does the employee encourage co-workers to bet in office pools and/or bet more money?
• Does the employee try to organize an office excursion to a casino or racetrack?
• Does the employee have a history of writing bad checks?
• Does the employee have more than one mailing address?
• Does the employee’s use of company money seem suspicious or inappropriate?