Whilst the majority of people do gamble safely and responsibly, for some, gambling can become a problem. When gambling, always remember the following:

• Set a maximum loss limit, for a specific time, and force yourself to stick to it;
• Never play to win at all costs, but consider gambling as a pleasure, the pleasure of trying;
• Never borrow money from your family or financial institutions to gamble;
• Take regular breaks;
• Alternate gambling with other activities;
• Never play during periods of trouble, stress, depression or confusion;
• Play only with money available for pleasure. Never play with money intended for important expenses (food, rent, electricity, heating, etc.);
• Never consider gambling as an escape from your everyday problems.

Whether the player wins or loses, it is therefore the player's responsibility to play with moderation in order to be aware of his needs and to know when to stop.

How to find out whether you are taking a bad direction or are threatened by gambling addiction? You just need to test your gambling profile by honestly answering the following questions:

• Is your work time affected by your gambling? (YES – NO)
• Do you sometimes gamble to pay for debts or solve financial problems (YES – NO)
• After losing, do you go on gambling to try and recover your loss? (YES – NO)
• Do you sometimes borrow money to gamble? (YES – NO)
• Do you sometime hesitate to assign everyday life expenses for food or accommodation to gambling? (YES – NO)
• Does the fact of gambling keep you away from your family? (YES – NO)
• Does your gambling damage the well-being of your family? (YES – NO)
• Do you sometimes bet longer than expected? (YES – NO)
• Do you bet to escape your concerns or boredom? (YES – NO)

Please note that this test is fully anonymous and that no answer will be recorded. If you answered yes to a majority of the above questions, please seek an addiction help professional. The specialists of the gambling clinic Dostoievski at BRUGMANN hospital help and advise you discretely.

Finally, if you are concerned about your gambling, why not take an independent and anonymous survey to help you understand more? You can complete the Cambridge Health Alliance’s BBGS e-Screener.

This page was last reviewed and updated: June 2020