• Neglecting personal needs or health.
• Using retirement funds or cashing in an insurance policy to fund gambling.
• Missing possessions or assets, including pawning or sale of personal items.

The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) was developed by Henry Lesieur, Ph.D., and Sheila Blume, M.D., as a screen for problem gambling.

South Oaks Gambling Screen

According to the American Psychiatric Association, 10% - 15% of young people asked have significant gambling problems; 6% of the teens who have tried gambling have become pathological gamblers.

Self-test for Teens

• Escape problems
• Loneliness, depression or boredom
• Peer pressure
• Think it is a quick way to get rich
• To impress others
• To be the center of attention
• Think of it as a way to make friends
• Winning provides an instant, temporary boost of confidence

• Unexplained absences from school.
• Sudden drop in grades.
• Changes in personality (irritability, impatience, criticism, or sarcasm).
• Large amounts of money in their possession; bragging about gambling wins.
• Shows an unusual interest in newspapers, magazine or periodicals having to do with sports, horse racing, etc.
• Intense interest in gambling conversations.
• Exaggerated display of money or other material possessions (car, clothes, jewelry).
• Change in behavior (behavior problems, tardiness or absences at school).
• Gambling language in their conversation (5-timer, bookie, loan shark, point spread, underdog, favorite, etc.).
• Exaggerated use of the word "bet" in their vocabulary.
• Illegal acts to pay or gamble more, including: stealing or shoplifting, selling drugs or bookmaking, embezzling or employer theft, family theft.

• Do you find yourself constantly bothered by bill collectors?
• Is the person in question often away from home for long, unexplained periods of time?
• Does this person ever lose time from work due to gambling?
• Do you feel that this person cannot be trusted with money?
• Does the person in question faithfully promise that he or she will stop gambling; beg, plead for another chance, yet gamble again and again?
• Does this person ever gamble longer than he or she intended to, until the last dollar is gone?
• Does this person immediately return to gambling to try to recover loses, or to win more?
• Does this person ever gamble to get money to solve financial difficulties or have unrealistic expectations that gambling will bring the family material comfort and wealth?
• Does this person borrow money to gamble or to pay gambling debts?
• Has this person's reputation ever suffered due to gambling, even to the extent of committing illegal acts to finance gambling?
• Have you come to the point of hiding money needed for living expenses, knowing that you and the rest of the family may go without food and clothing if you do not?
• Do you search this person's clothing or go through his or her wallet when the opportunity presents itself, or otherwise check on his/her activities?
• Does the person in question hide his or her money?
• Have you noticed a personality change in the gambler as his or her gambling progresses?
• Does the person in question consistently lie to cover up or deny his or her gambling activities?
• Does this person use guilt induction as a method of shifting responsibilities for his or her gambling upon you?
• Do you attempt to anticipate this person's moods, or try to control his or her life?
• Does this person ever suffer from remorse or depression due to gambling sometimes to the point of self-destruction?
• Has the gambling ever brought you to the point of threatening to break up the family unit?
• Do you feel that your life together is a total nightmare?

Questions Courtesy of Gam-Anon