Warning Signs and Profiles

If you think you may have a gambling problem, please click here to take Your First Step to Change, an anonymous self-assessment test.

Self-Test

Have you gambled or played for money more than six times in the last six months?

YES NO

If YES, please answer the following questions:

During the last six months have you ........	YES	NO
2)….been preoccupied with gambling or been thinking how to get money to gamble?
3) …needed to gamble more and more money to get excited?
4) …tried to cut down or stop gambling but could not?
5) …felt restless or easily annoyed when you tried to cut down or stop gambling?
6) …gambled as a way of running away from personal problems or as a relief for uncomfortable feelings, like guilt, anxiety, depression, sadness?
7)…returned another day, after you had lost money, to try to win back your losses?
8) …lied to family members, friends or other important people in your life about your gambling problems?
9) …committed any illegal act to finance gambling?
10)…lost or almost lost an important relationship, job or a career or school opportunity because of your gambling?
11) …relied on others to pay your gambling debts or your bills because you were having financial problems caused by gambling?

If you checked even one of these items, further evaluation is recommended.

Three to four items checked show a developing problem.

Five or more of these indicate a problem with gambling.

(For problem gamblers and others adversely affected, also see GA Twenty Questions and Gam-Anon 20 Questions)

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?

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)

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?