By Dr. Eric Fields, PsyD — licensed psychologist specializing in problem gambling and addiction treatment for over 20 years.
Is your gambling becoming a problem?
If you have landed here, there is probably a reason you are questioning your gambling. You may be betting more often than you intended, spending more than you planned, or finding that gambling stays on your mind long after the game ends. Maybe you have promised yourself you would cut back, only to find yourself placing another bet when the opportunity comes up.
You can still be doing well at work, keeping up with responsibilities, and appearing completely in control while gambling is becoming a serious problem privately. Financial devastation does not have to come first. Gambling disorder is defined by an ongoing pattern of gambling that continues despite harmful consequences, and those consequences can extend well beyond money.
This gambling addiction self-assessment gives you a structured way to look at what has been happening. It is an informational tool rather than a diagnosis, but your answers can help you decide whether your gambling deserves more attention. If something already feels wrong, you do not have to wait for the consequences to become worse before you respond.
What this self-assessment covers
Gambling takes many forms, and the pattern matters more than whether you think of yourself as a “gambler.” This assessment is relevant to:
- Sports betting and online sportsbooks
- Live betting and in-game wagering
- Online casino games and slots
- Poker and casino gambling
- Paid fantasy sports and similar contests
- Other repeated wagering involving money or credit
As you take the gambling addiction self-assessment, answer based on what you actually do rather than how you describe the behavior to yourself. Think about your recent gambling patterns, how often gambling occupies your thoughts, and whether you are keeping the limits you set for yourself. Answer as honestly as you can. The goal is to get a clearer picture of whether gambling is becoming harder to control or beginning to interfere with your life.
Important: This tool is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a medical diagnosis or a substitute for professional advice. If you’re struggling, reach out to a licensed mental health provider for a full evaluation and support.
Putting your results in context
Your score matters, but the bigger question is what gambling is doing to your life. If you keep setting limits and breaking them, chasing losses, or hiding how much you are betting, the problem is already asking more of you than you intended to give it. The same is true if one bad night keeps turning into another attempt to win the money back.
One of the reasons gambling addiction can go unnoticed for so long is that your life does not have to look like it is falling apart. You can still go to work, pay your bills, take care of your family, and look completely fine from the outside. Meanwhile, a growing amount of your time and mental energy is going toward the next bet, the last loss, or the money you are trying to recover.
If some of the questions in this assessment hit a little too close to home, do not brush that off. You do not have to lose everything before gambling becomes a serious problem. The sooner you stop minimizing what is happening, the more room you have to change it.
Why sports betting is easy to dismiss
Sports betting often feels easier to justify because it is connected to something you know. You follow the teams. You know the players. You study the statistics and believe your knowledge gives you an advantage.
That sense of expertise can make it harder to recognize when betting has shifted from entertainment into a compulsive pattern. Research on sports betting has found that gambling-related beliefs, urges, and money-focused motivations are associated with greater risk of gambling problems.
Online betting also removes many of the natural stopping points that once existed. A new bet can be available before the previous one is settled. Live odds and in-game wagering create repeated opportunities to keep going, and research on in-play betting has highlighted the role of immediate access, excitement, and perceived skill in keeping bettors engaged.
If you find yourself constantly checking odds, thinking about the next wager, or trying to win back a loss before the day ends, the pattern deserves attention.
What to do if your score concerns you
You do not need to make every decision about recovery today. Start with a few concrete steps.
- Look honestly at the pattern. Notice whether you are keeping the limits you set for yourself and how much space gambling occupies in your day.
- Make gambling less automatic. Removing betting apps, limiting access to funds, or using self-exclusion tools can create useful distance between an urge and a wager. Self-exclusion and other access-limiting strategies are among the resources recommended for people concerned about their gambling.
- Get support that addresses gambling specifically. General encouragement to “just stop” rarely addresses what keeps the pattern going. Effective support needs to focus on the habits, beliefs, and circumstances surrounding your gambling.
Choose the support path that fits where you live
If you live in New York
If you live in New York, I offer individual therapy for gambling addiction. My approach is practical and individualized. We look closely at what keeps gambling active in your life and develop specific strategies for changing the pattern.
I have specialized in problem gambling and addiction treatment for more than 20 years. I do not rely on a cookie-cutter plan. We focus on your situation, your goals, and measurable changes that help you regain greater control over your choices.
If you live outside New York
If you live outside New York, my 12-week online gambling recovery program offers a structured path for addressing compulsive gambling. The program is designed to help you move beyond repeated attempts to stop on your own and begin making purposeful changes in the patterns that keep pulling you back.
You can respond before gambling takes more from you
If this assessment confirmed concerns you have already been trying to push aside, pay attention to that. Gambling problems often grow in the space between recognizing that something is wrong and deciding to do something about it.
I’m Dr. Eric Fields, and for more than two decades I have focused much of my clinical work on gambling addiction and compulsive behavior. I believe change comes from addressing the specific patterns keeping gambling in your life and building practical ways to make different choices. Whether individual therapy in New York or my 12-week recovery program is the better fit, you do not have to keep repeating the same cycle. Reach out today to start a conversation about what comes next.
Common questions about gambling addiction
Is this gambling addiction self-assessment a diagnosis?
No. The assessment helps you look more closely at your gambling behavior, but it does not provide a clinical diagnosis. A qualified healthcare professional diagnoses gambling disorder based on a fuller evaluation of your behavior and its impact on your life.
Can sports betting become an addiction?
Yes. Sports betting is a form of gambling, and the same loss of control and harmful patterns associated with other forms of gambling can develop around sports betting. Research has also identified gambling urges, distorted beliefs about betting, and money-related motivations among factors associated with higher-risk sports betting.
What if my score is low but I am still worried about my gambling?
Pay attention to the concern that brought you here. A score cannot capture every part of your experience. If you are repeatedly breaking your own limits, hiding your gambling, or finding it increasingly difficult to stop, those patterns are worth addressing.
Can I have a gambling problem if I am still functioning well?
Yes. You can continue working and handling your responsibilities while gambling is causing significant problems behind the scenes. The amount of money you have left is not the deciding factor. Loss of control and the consequences gambling is creating in your life matter more.
Can I work with you if I live outside New York?
If you live in New York, I offer individual therapy for gambling addiction. If you live outside New York, my 12-week online gambling recovery program provides a structured option for addressing compulsive gambling patterns.
By Dr. Eric Fields, PsyD.
His clinical work focuses on gambling addiction, compulsive behaviors, depression, chronic stress, career counseling, and relationship concerns, using individualized, evidence-based care.
