Gambling
Knowing the warning signs can help you decide what action to take. It is common to notice changes in the person’s finances, mood and behaviour or how they spend their time. People sometimes say they feel that they should have noticed sooner, but remember the person gambling may have gone to great lengths to hide it from you.
Financial Signs
Some common financial warning signs that someone may have a problem with gambling include:
- Household items and valuables missing
- Borrowing money on a regular basis
- Being secretive about financial records or payslips
- Lack of food in the house.
- Regularly short of money even though they earn a wage
- Having many loans at the one time
- Unpaid bills/disconnection notices
- Money missing from bank accounts
Mood and Behavioural Signs
When someone develops a gambling problem, there are often noticeable changes to their mood and behaviour, including:
- Becoming withdrawn from others/family events
- Performance at work is being affected
- Seeming worried, agitated or upset for no apparent reason
- Reporting feeling hopeless, depressed, frustrated or suicidal
- Controlling and/or manipulative behaviour
- Using threats, lies or charm to manipulate others.
- Changes in personality, sleeping, eating, or sexual relationship patterns
Time Related Signs
Some common time-related signs that could indicate someone has a problem with gambling include:
- Spending more and more time gambling
- Being secretive about unexplained absences
- Often being late for commitments
- Taking a lot of sick days or days off
- Taking an unusual amount of time for simple tasks
It can be difficult to know if someone has a problem with gambling. It can also be difficult to detect a gambling problem, because many people who gamble do not show their feelings and may lie or get angry if questioned about their behaviour.
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