Staying in Control

Gamblers Anonymous Self-Evaluation Questionnaire


  • 1. Did you ever skip work or school due to gambling?
  • 2. Has gambling ever made you unhappy at home?
  • 3. Has gambling damaged your reputation?
  • 4. Have you ever felt self-reproach after gambling?
  • 5. Did you ever gamble in an attempt to pay debts or solve your money troubles?
  • 6. Did gambling cause a drop-off in your ambition or efficiency?
  • 7. After losing, do you feel an urging to instantly win back your losses?
  • 8. After a win did you feel a powerful impulse to go back and win even more?
  • 9. Did you often gamble until you lost your last cent?
  • 10. Did you ever borrow money to pay for your gambling?
  • 11. Have you ever sold any of your possessions to pay for your gambling?
  • 12. Were you hesitant to use "gambling money" for household bills?
  • 13. Did gambling make you care less about the well being of yourself or your family?
  • 14. Did you ever gamble for a longer time period than you had originally planned?
  • 15. Have you ever gambled to forget about worries or problems in your life?
  • 16. Have you considered or carried out a criminal act to pay for your gambling?
  • 17. Did gambling cause you to lose sleep?
  • 18. Do frustrations in your life produce an impulse inside you to gamble?
  • 19. Do you consider gambling a good way to celebrate?
  • 20. Have you ever thought about suicide due to your gambling?

Nearly all compulsive gamblers answer yes to 7 or more of these questions.


Coping With Your Playing

Players who enjoy gambling frequently find that it is a common occurrence to exceed their budget occasionally. We suggest that players should make specific budget plans to see to it that you don't spend more than you can afford.


If you need some fundamental advice, check out these tips from the Responsible Gambling Council


Most people consider gambling to be an stimulating and amusing diversion. They arrive at deliberate conclusions about how much time and money they're willing to spend, where to go and how to have a good time.


These are the tactics responsible players often use:

  • Settle on a loss limit before you start and stick with it
  • Never borrow money from friends or family to gamble
  • Settle on a time limit
  • Take breaks often
  • Mix in other activities
  • Don't gamble if you're having any emotional issues such as anger, frustration or depression
  • Gamble solely with money set aside for the expressed purpose of entertainment



    • Return to the Responsible Gaming Page.