December 2000

Learn to Ask the Right Questions

Asking questions sincerely and answering them honestly may help some youths get past denial and acknowledge the existence of a gambling problem. If you answer YES to a majority of the questions below, it may be time to look for help!

Do you think gambling is the most exciting activity you do?
Do you often spend your free time involved in gambling activities?
Do you try to prevent your family and friends from knowing how much you gamble?
Do your friends gamble? Are you considered to be part of the "gambling crowd?"
Do you often daydream about gambling?
Do you often gamble during lunch breaks, recess, after school hours or on weekends?
Do you miss school or other important events due to gambling activities?
Do you often dream of solving your problems by making a big win?
Do you ever lie about whether you gamble or how much you lose?
Is gambling the main source of what you do to feel good about yourself?
Do you gamble alone?
Do you gamble with money that is supposed to be used for other reasons like lunch, bus fare, or clothes?
Have you ever borrowed money to gamble?
Have you ever stolen money or property in order to gamble or pay gambling debts?
Do you get upset or irritable if you are unable to gamble?
Do you want to gamble when you are upset?
Do you most often feel sad or guilty because you lost money gambling?
Is it hard for you to stop gambling after you lose money?
Do you often gamble longer than you wanted to and lose more money than you intended?
When gambling, do you tend to lose track of time or forget about everything else?
Do you find that thinking about gambling makes it hard for you to do school work?

©1991 North American Training Institute
Editor's note: This gambling screen is designed for youth and is similar to the Gamblers Anonymous 20 Questions for adults. For more information visit www.wannabet.org or e-mail info@nati.org

Gambling Problems Resource Center
2720 Highway 10
Mounds View, MN 55112

All material copyright 2001, Minnesota Institute of Public Health
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