This is a screening tool for problem gambling and gambling disorder, designed for anyone concerned about their gambling habits or behaviours. The assessment takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete and is based on the NODS-GD (NORC Diagnostic Screen for Gambling Problems), aligned with DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for gambling disorder used by mental health professionals across Canada. Your responses are completely anonymous and confidential. Problem gambling, clinically known as gambling disorder, occurs when gambling causes significant problems in your life but you continue despite experiencing negative consequences. According to the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, it is a recognized mental health condition that affects the brain’s reward system similarly to substance use disorders.

Important Disclaimer

Please note: This is a screening tool only and does not provide a diagnosis. Problem gambling is a treatable condition—recovery is absolutely possible with proper support. We strongly encourage you to discuss your results with your family doctor or a specialized gambling support service. This screening is confidential, non-judgemental, and completely anonymous.

Understanding Problem Gambling

What is Gambling Disorder?

Gambling disorder is persistent, problematic gambling behaviour that causes significant distress, impairment, or harm in multiple areas of your life despite negative consequences.

Common signs and symptoms:

Types of gambling covered: Casino gambling (slot machines, table games, video lottery terminals), sports betting (online and in-person), online gambling and gaming sites, poker or card games, lottery tickets or scratch cards, betting on horse or dog races, and bingo.

Risk factors: Easy access to gambling venues or online platforms, co-occurring mental health issues (depression, anxiety, ADHD), substance use problems, family history of addiction or gambling problems, impulsivity and difficulty with self-control, and competitive personality traits.

Impact of Problem Gambling

Problem gambling can lead to severe financial problems and overwhelming debt, relationship breakdown and family conflict, employment issues or job loss, serious mental health problems including depression, anxiety, and significantly elevated suicide risk, legal problems from gambling-related crimes, and physical health issues resulting from chronic stress.

The Screening Test

Instructions

To complete this assessment accurately, think about your gambling behaviour during the past 12 months. Answer honestly about all your gambling activities and their impact on your life. Include all forms of gambling: online betting, casino visits, sports betting, lottery purchases, and any other gambling activities. Be truthful—this tool exists to help you understand if gambling is causing problems in your life. Please answer all questions for the most accurate results.

Confidentiality: Your answers are completely anonymous. This screening helps you assess whether you might benefit from professional support for gambling-related problems.

Important: This screening is not about how much money you gamble or how frequently you gamble, but rather about whether gambling is causing significant problems and harm in your life.

The NODS-GD Questions

Thinking about the past 12 months:

Answer “Yes” or “No” to each question:

1. Have there been periods lasting 2 weeks or longer when you spent a lot of time thinking about your gambling experiences, planning future gambling, or thinking of ways to get money to gamble with?

2. Have you needed to gamble with increasing amounts of money to get the amount of excitement you were looking for?

3. Have you felt restless, irritable, or anxious when trying to cut down or stop gambling?

4. Have you tried to cut back or stop gambling but couldn’t?

5. Have you gambled to escape from problems or when feeling depressed, anxious, or bad about yourself?

6. After losing money gambling, did you often return another day to try to win back what you lost (chasing losses)?

7. Have you lied to family, friends, or others to hide how much you gamble or how much time you spend gambling?

8. Has your gambling caused serious or repeated problems in your relationships with family or friends?

9. Has your gambling caused you any problems at work, college, or in achieving important goals?

10. Have you needed to ask others to lend you money or to bail you out of financial trouble caused by gambling?

11. Have you committed illegal acts (like theft, fraud, or forgery) to finance gambling or pay gambling debts?

Results & Interpretation

How Scoring Works

Count the total number of “Yes” answers. Your score can range from 0 to 11.

Score interpretation:

According to DSM-5 diagnostic criteria used in Canada, 4 or more symptoms indicate a gambling disorder that requires professional treatment and support.

If You Scored 6+ (Severe Gambling Disorder)

What this means: Your responses indicate severe problem gambling that is significantly affecting multiple areas of your life. Professional help is strongly recommended and should be sought immediately.

Next steps – Act now:

Urgent actions to take today:

Important safety information:

If You Scored 4-5 (Moderate Gambling Disorder)

What this means: You have a moderate gambling problem that meets diagnostic criteria for gambling disorder. Professional support and treatment will significantly help your recovery.

Next steps:

Financial steps:

If You Scored 2-3 (Mild Gambling Disorder)

What this means: You are experiencing mild problem gambling symptoms. Early intervention now can prevent escalation to more severe gambling disorder.

Next steps:

Self-help strategies:

If You Scored 1 (At-Risk Gambling)

What this means: You are showing early warning signs of potential problem gambling. Taking preventive action now can stop progression to gambling disorder.

Prevention steps:

If You Scored 0 (No Problem)

What this means: You are not currently showing signs of problem gambling. Continue practicing responsible gambling habits and remain aware of risk factors.

Stay safe with responsible gambling:

Getting Help & Treatment

Support Services in Canada

Provincial Problem Gambling Helplines:

Each Canadian province and territory offers confidential problem gambling support services:

Trained counsellors can provide support, information, and arrange referrals to specialized treatment services.

Provincial Treatment Services:

Most provinces offer publicly funded specialized problem gambling treatment including assessment and therapy services, individual and group counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy programmes, and family support services. Access and wait times vary by province—contact your provincial helpline for information.

Gamblers Anonymous:

Free peer-led support groups following a 12-step recovery programme. Meetings are available across Canada both in-person and online. Visit www.gamblersanonymous.org for meeting locations and times.

Responsible Gambling Council (Canada):

National organization providing education, resources, and support. Website offers self-help tools and information at www.responsiblegambling.org.

Private Treatment Options:

Private counselling with therapists specializing in gambling disorder, intensive outpatient programmes, and residential treatment centres (limited availability in Canada). Provides faster access but can be expensive. Some extended health insurance plans may provide coverage.

Treatment Options

Talking Therapies:

Self-Exclusion Programmes:

Most Canadian provinces offer voluntary self-exclusion programmes that ban you from casinos, gaming facilities, and sometimes online gambling sites for periods typically ranging from 6 months to lifetime. Cannot be reversed once in place. Contact your provincial gaming authority to enroll.

Financial Tools:

Install gambling blocking software (Gamban, BetBlocker) on all devices. Request banking blocks for gambling transactions from your financial institution. Use prepaid cards or cash instead of credit cards. Work with a financial counsellor or trusted person for money management support.

Medication:

Not typically a primary treatment for gambling disorder. May be prescribed to help with co-occurring mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety. Some research evidence supports opioid antagonists (naltrexone) for reducing gambling urges in certain individuals.

Recovery & Prevention

Building a Recovery Lifestyle

Key steps for sustained recovery:

Complete abstinence from all forms of gambling is usually necessary for recovery. Address underlying issues contributing to gambling such as mental health conditions, chronic stress, or boredom. Build entirely new daily routines, interests, and activities to replace gambling. Work to repair damaged relationships and gradually address financial problems. Attend support group meetings regularly and consistently. Continue using blocking tools and self-exclusion indefinitely, not just temporarily.

Relapse prevention strategies:

Identify your personal triggers including specific emotions, stress, locations, people, or situations. Actively avoid high-risk situations whenever possible. Develop a detailed emergency action plan for when urges arise. Stay consistently connected to your support network and treatment providers. Manage finances carefully with external oversight if needed. Replace gambling with genuinely healthy and fulfilling activities that provide meaning.

Common triggers to recognize:

Financial stress or unexpected money problems, boredom, loneliness, or isolation, celebrating successes or coping with disappointments, alcohol or substance use (reduces inhibitions), pervasive online gambling advertising and promotions, and seeing others gamble or being in gambling environments.

Replace gambling with:

Regular physical exercise or sports participation, engaging hobbies and creative activities, social activities that don’t involve gambling, volunteering in your community, education or learning new skills, and meaningful quality time with family and friends.

Co-occurring issues:

Research from Canadian addiction centres shows that many people with gambling problems also experience depression or anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, ADHD or impulse control difficulties, and other mental health conditions. Both the gambling disorder and co-occurring issues require concurrent treatment for successful, sustained recovery.

For Family & Friends

Supporting Someone with Gambling Problems

How to help effectively:

Express your concern calmly, compassionately, and without judgement. Encourage them to seek professional help and offer concrete support. Offer to attend appointments or support group meetings with them. Help them establish financial controls and accountability systems. Support their self-exclusion efforts and recovery commitments. Be patient and understanding—recovery is a process that takes time.

What NOT to do:

Do not pay their gambling debts (this enables continued gambling and doesn’t address the underlying problem). Do not give them access to money, credit cards, or financial accounts. Do not preach, lecture, or shame them about their gambling. Do not make threats or ultimatums you won’t actually follow through on. Do not enable their gambling in any way, even unintentionally.

Gam-Anon: Support group specifically for families and friends of people with gambling problems. Meetings provide support, education, and shared experiences. Check for local meetings in your area.

Protect yourself:

Set and maintain clear, firm boundaries about finances and behaviour. Do not lie or make excuses for them to others. Protect and monitor your own finances carefully. Ensure you have your own emotional support system. Consider carefully whether the relationship is emotionally or financially safe for you to continue.

Financial Recovery

Dealing with Gambling Debt

Immediate actions:

Stop all gambling immediately—this is the essential first step. Create a comprehensive list of all gambling debts and other financial obligations. Prioritize essential bills such as housing, utilities, and food. Contact creditors honestly about your situation and request payment arrangements. Seek free, professional debt counselling from non-profit credit counselling services.

Free debt help in Canada:

Important information:

Do not borrow additional money to pay gambling debts—this creates a dangerous cycle. Avoid high-interest payday loans or predatory lending. Be aware that gambling debts to illegal bookmakers may involve personal safety risks. Report illegal lending or threats to police immediately.

Rebuilding finances: Financial recovery takes significant time but is absolutely possible with professional support, complete abstinence from gambling, and commitment to a structured financial recovery plan.

Scientific Source & Disclaimer

Basis for This Screening

This screening tool is based on the NORC Diagnostic Screen for Gambling Problems: DSM-5 Gambling Disorder (NODS-GD), a validated assessment instrument for gambling disorder.

References:

Brazeau, E.A. & Hodgins, D.C. (2022). Psychometric evaluation of the NODS-GD: A Canadian validation study. Addictive Behaviors, 130, 107310.

Wickwire, E.M., et al. (2008). Psychometric evaluation of the National Opinion Research Center DSM-IV Screen for Gambling Problems (NODS). American Journal on Addictions, 17(5), 392-395.

The NODS-GD has been specifically validated in Canadian populations and is used by gambling treatment professionals across Canada.

Important Disclaimer

This online screening tool is not a diagnostic instrument and does not provide a clinical diagnosis. It provides guidance and educational information only and cannot replace professional evaluation by a qualified healthcare provider or gambling treatment specialist. Gambling disorder is a serious mental health condition with significantly elevated suicide risk. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, seek immediate help by calling the Canada Suicide Prevention Service (1-833-456-4566), texting Crisis Services Canada (45645), calling 911, or going to your nearest hospital emergency department. Recovery is absolutely possible with proper evidence-based treatment and ongoing support. This tool is for informational and educational purposes only. We do not collect, store, or share any personal information (compliant with Canadian privacy legislation including PIPEDA).