Anonymous, two minutes

Am I a compulsive gambler? Take the 2-minute check.

"Compulsive gambler" is a heavy phrase, and you do not have to decide whether it fits you today. This is the PGSI, the gambling screen used in UK health research. It takes about two minutes and it is completely anonymous.

Your answers never leave your device. Nothing is saved.

Answer for the last 12 months, thinking about all forms of gambling: betting and sports, casino games, slots, lottery, scratchcards, bingo and anything online.

1. Have you bet more than you could really afford to lose?

Never scores 0; Sometimes scores 1; Most of the time scores 2; Almost always scores 3.

2. Have you needed to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling of excitement?

Never scores 0; Sometimes scores 1; Most of the time scores 2; Almost always scores 3.

3. When you gambled, did you go back another day to try to win back the money you lost?

Never scores 0; Sometimes scores 1; Most of the time scores 2; Almost always scores 3.

4. Have you borrowed money or sold anything to get money to gamble?

Never scores 0; Sometimes scores 1; Most of the time scores 2; Almost always scores 3.

5. Have you felt that you might have a problem with gambling?

Never scores 0; Sometimes scores 1; Most of the time scores 2; Almost always scores 3.

6. Has gambling caused you any health problems, including stress or anxiety?

Never scores 0; Sometimes scores 1; Most of the time scores 2; Almost always scores 3.

7. Have people criticised your betting, or told you that you had a gambling problem, whether or not you thought it was true?

Never scores 0; Sometimes scores 1; Most of the time scores 2; Almost always scores 3.

8. Has your gambling caused any financial problems for you or your household?

Never scores 0; Sometimes scores 1; Most of the time scores 2; Almost always scores 3.

9. Have you felt guilty about the way you gamble, or what happens when you gamble?

Never scores 0; Sometimes scores 1; Most of the time scores 2; Almost always scores 3.

What the scores mean

0: Your answers suggest gambling is not causing you problems right now. Your answers do not flag a problem with gambling at the moment. One honest note: a screen is a snapshot, not a verdict. If gambling still worries you, or someone you love has said something, that feeling is worth listening to regardless of a score.

1 to 2: Your score suggests a low level of problems related to gambling. Many people score here, and most do not think of themselves as having a problem. But this is the range where gambling can quietly start costing money, sleep and mood. Small changes now make a big difference. Three gentle options: keep an eye on it for a couple of weeks, call the National Gambling Helpline, or sit in on one meeting just to listen.

3 to 7: Your score suggests a moderate level of problems related to gambling. A score in this range is worth a proper look. It does not mean you are a compulsive gambler, and no one is telling you that. It means your gambling is the sort that the National Gambling Helpline or Gamblers Anonymous would want to help you with. You do not have to carry this alone. Meetings are free, anonymous, and you can just listen.

8 to 27: Your score suggests gambling is causing you serious problems. A score this high is the level where it really helps to talk to someone: the National Gambling Helpline (free, 24 hours), Gamblers Anonymous, or your GP. They do this every day, with no judgement. And some hope, because it is true: many people who scored like this are now free of it and well. You do not have to do it alone.

Total score: 0 to 27. The PGSI is a widely used gambling screen used in UK health research. A score is a snapshot, not a diagnosis.