Problem gambling test

What a problem gambling test actually is

There is no single official 'problem gambling test'. The phrase usually refers to a short screening questionnaire designed to flag whether someone's gambling is causing harm. The best-validated and most widely used in adult populations is the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) — a 9-item questionnaire developed by researchers and used in Irish, UK and Canadian national health surveys.

A good problem gambling test is brief (a few minutes), private, evidence-based and clear about what it can and cannot tell you. It is not a diagnosis, and it does not require you to identify yourself.

What the test asks

The PGSI asks about the past 12 months. Each question has four answers — never, sometimes, most of the time, almost always — scored 0 to 3.

• How often have you bet more than you could really afford to lose?
• How often have you needed to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling of excitement?
• How often have you gone back another day to try to win back the money you lost?
• How often have you borrowed money or sold anything to get money to gamble?
• How often have you felt that you might have a problem with gambling?
• How often has gambling caused you any health problems, including stress or anxiety?
• How often have people criticised your betting or told you that you had a gambling problem?
• How often has your gambling caused any financial problems for you or your household?
• How often have you felt guilty about the way you gamble or what happens when you gamble?

How the score works

Add the scores together. The total falls into one of four bands: 0 = non-problem, 1–2 = low risk, 3–7 = moderate risk, 8+ = problem gambling. The bands are explained in detail in the gambling severity scale guide on this site.

These are guides, not verdicts. A score of zero does not mean gambling is risk-free for you forever, and a high score does not mean you are beyond help. The whole point of the test is to tell you whether the next step is worth taking.

What a problem gambling test is not

A problem gambling test is not a clinical diagnosis. Only a qualified clinician can formally diagnose gambling disorder, and they use criteria from the DSM-5 or ICD-11 in a longer conversation that takes other factors into account.

A problem gambling test is also not a personality test, a moral judgement, or a permanent label. It is a snapshot of the last 12 months, on the specific patterns the tool is sensitive to.

How long it takes

The PGSI version of the test takes about three minutes for most people. The check on this site adds one brief safety question at the end about wellbeing, then shows a result page with your band and suggested next steps.

Privacy

The check on this site is fully anonymous. There is no account, no email and no name required, and your answers are not stored on our servers. You can close the tab at the end and nothing is kept.

What to do with your result

• Low or no risk — keep the helpline number saved, set limits in advance, retake in a few months.
• Low to moderate risk — try one practical block this month (operator exclusion, bank block or device limit) and notice any drift.
• Moderate risk — a single helpline call or counsellor session is often enough to change how the next year unfolds.
• Problem gambling — combine practical blocks with one-to-one support; this tends to work much better than self-management alone.

When to skip the test and go straight to support

If you already know your gambling has become a serious problem, you do not need a test to confirm what you know. Call the Gambling Care National Helpline on 1800 936 725 — free and confidential. If you feel unsafe, call 999 or 112, or Samaritans on 116 123.