1. Loosing track of time when you gamble
2. Gambling with money needed for essentials (food, clothing, utilities, mortgage, etc.)
3. Often gambling more money than you intended.
4. Having few interests outside of gambling.
5. Hiding any of the following from your friends, family and/or loved ones:
- — your gambling
— the amount of time you spend gambling
— the amount of money involved
6. Trying to win back money you have lost (continue to chase your losses).
7. Betting with money you can’t afford to lose.
8. Maxing out your credit cards and/or borrowing money in order to gamble
9. Compromise your personal values in order to keep gambling.
10. Neglecting family, friends, work, and even your own self-care (you may not eat or sleep properly, for example, or care about your physical appearance).
11. Constantly thinking or talking about gambling.
12. Finding it difficult to control, stop, or cut down gambling, or feeling irritable when trying to.
13. Feeling a sense of emptiness or loss when not gambling.
14. Thinking that your gambling will get under control as soon you have a “big win.”
15. Having increased debt, unpaid bills, or other financial troubles because of your gambling.
16. Experiencing extreme highs from gambling wins and extreme lows from gambling losses.
17. Gambling to escape personal problems or to relieve feelings of anxiety, depression, anger, or other negative emotions.
18. Refusing to discuss gambling with others or lying to cover it up.