If you think that you or someone else may have a problem with gambling then please take some time to go through the below checklist:
- Do you see gambling as a form of entertainment only or as a form of making money?
- Do you stay away from work or studying in order to gamble?
- Do you gamble to escape from boredom or unhappiness?
- When gambling and you run out of money, do you feel lost and in despair and need to gamble again as soon as possible?
- Do you gamble until all your money is lost?
- Have you ever lied to cover up the amount of money or time you have spent gambling?
- Have you ever lied borrowed or stolen to maintain betting habits?
- Are you reluctant to spend gambling money on anything else?
- Have you lost interest in your family, friends or hobbies?
- After losing, do you feel you must try and win back your losses as soon as possible?
The more yes answers you have to these questions the more likely it is that you have a gambling problem.
www.gamblingcare.ie has advice and tools on their website to help you assess if your gambling is causing a problem.