The Division on Addiction' BBGS e-Screener and Intervention System


The Division on Addictions - BBGS

Recognizing Gambling-related Problems

Brief screens can help people decide whether to seek formal evaluation of their gambling behavior. You can find one recent screen, the Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen (BBGS)1, below. The 3-item BBGS is based on the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria for pathological gambling. Following the BBGS, please indicate how you feel right now about your gambling by clicking below the statement that best describes your feelings.
Yes No
During the past 12 months, have you become restless irritable or anxious when trying to stop/cut down on gambling?
During the past 12 months, have you tried to keep your family or friends from knowing how much you gambled?
During the past 12 months did you have such financial trouble as a result of your gambling that you had to get help with living expenses from family, friends or welfare?
How would you describe your relationship with gambling right now?
I never think about my gambling. Sometimes I think about gambling less. I have decided to gamble less. I am already trying to cut back on my gambling. I changed my gambling. I now do not gamble, or gamble less than before.


1 Gebauer, L., LaBrie, R. A., Shaffer, H. J. (2010). Optimizing DSM IV classification accuracy: a brief bio-social screen for detecting current gambling disorders among gamblers in the general household population. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry , 55(2), 82-90.