Problem gambling checklist
Reviewed by GamblingHelp.ie Editorial Team · Last reviewed 2026-06-10
Last reviewed: . Reviewed against the sources listed in our methodology.
Updated: .
A checklist is a useful tool for an honest conversation with yourself. It cannot diagnose gambling disorder, and it is not the same as the formal PGSI screening tool — but it can help you see your own pattern more clearly than a single big question can.
Below are 12 statements drawn from the patterns most consistently associated with gambling harm in the international research and in Irish support practice. The point is not to count yeses. The point is to notice which ones you recognise.
How to use this checklist
Read each statement and answer it honestly for the last 12 months. There are no right answers, and nothing is stored. If you find yourself wanting to qualify an answer ('yes, but…'), that qualification is itself useful information.
The 12 statements
- 1. I have bet more than I could really afford to lose.
- 2. I have gone back the next day to try to win back what I lost.
- 3. I have needed to bet bigger amounts to get the same feeling.
- 4. I have borrowed money, used credit or sold something to gamble.
- 5. I have hidden gambling — accounts, apps, statements — from someone close to me.
- 6. I have lied about how much I gamble or how much I have lost.
- 7. Gambling has caused arguments or tension in my closest relationship.
- 8. Gambling has affected my work, study or sleep.
- 9. I have felt guilty, anxious or low after gambling.
- 10. I have tried to stop or cut down and not been able to keep it stopped.
- 11. I have thought about gambling when I was supposed to be doing other things.
- 12. Someone close to me has expressed concern about my gambling.
What different patterns of answers suggest
This is not a scored questionnaire and the categories below are rough — but they reflect how Irish support services usually think about where to start.
- 0–1 yeses — gambling does not appear to be causing harm right now. It is still worth knowing the helpline number and revisiting in future.
- 2–4 yeses — there are early signs that gambling may be becoming difficult to manage. Small practical steps now are usually enough.
- 5–7 yeses — patterns consistent with gambling harm. Talking to a helpline or counsellor is a reasonable next step.
- 8 or more — patterns consistent with significant gambling harm. One-to-one support is likely to help more than self-management alone.
The statements that matter most
Even within a 12-item list, some statements weigh more than others. Borrowing money to gamble, hiding gambling from a partner, repeated failed attempts to stop, and other people expressing concern are particularly strong indicators in the research.
If you answered yes to any of those four, the honest answer to 'is this a problem?' is probably yes — regardless of the total count.
Pair this checklist with the formal check
This checklist is informal. The free 3-minute private check on this site uses the PGSI — a brief screening instrument used internationally and in Irish health surveys. Taking both gives you a richer picture than either on its own.
The PGSI is anonymous, not stored and takes about three minutes. It is linked from the call-to-action below.
What to do this week
- Take the private 3-minute check on this site.
- Pick one practical block — operator self-exclusion, a bank gambling block, or a device app limit.
- Save the Gambling Care helpline number (1800 936 725) in your phone.
- If money is a worry, contact MABS for free, independent advice.
- If you feel unsafe, call 999 or 112, or Samaritans on 116 123.
Take the private gambling check
A 3-minute, anonymous reflection tool. Not a diagnosis.
Frequently asked
Related resources
- Gambling self-assessment
A plain-English guide to gambling self-assessment in Ireland — what it is, how it works, the questions it asks and how to take a free, anonymous 3-minute check.
- Am I addicted to gambling?
If you are quietly asking whether you are addicted to gambling, this Irish guide explains what addiction really means, the signs to look for and what to do next.
- Do I gamble too much?
A calm guide for people in Ireland quietly wondering if they gamble too much — how to measure 'too much' across time, money and headspace, and what to do next.
- When does gambling become a problem?
Where the line is between recreational gambling and problem gambling — the markers, the warning signs and what to do if you are already past the line.
- Gambling severity scale explained
What the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) score bands mean in plain English — and what to do at each level. Used by the free private check on GamblingHelp.ie.
- Problem gambling test
A plain-English explanation of what a problem gambling test actually is — and a free, anonymous 3-minute PGSI check to take privately in Ireland.
Useful next steps
Sources and further support
Listed for reference and onward support only. Inclusion does not imply endorsement of this site by these organisations.
- Gambling Care National Helpline (1800 936 725)
- Gamblers Anonymous Ireland
- MABS — Money Advice and Budgeting Service
- HSE addiction services
- Samaritans Ireland — 116 123
- Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) — Used internationally as a brief screening instrument for gambling harm in the general population.
Need help right now?
This article is for information only. It is not a diagnosis, treatment, financial advice or a substitute for professional support. GamblingHelp.ie is independent and not affiliated with the HSE, GRAI or any gambling operator.