Honest questions

Do I gamble too much?

Updated 2026-07-11 · Grounded in: Ferris & Wynne 2001 (CPGI/PGSI) · gambling-harm research on loss-chasing

Here's the honest answer: the amount of money matters less than you'd think, and the pattern matters more. Researchers who study gambling look for a handful of specific signals — betting more than you can truly afford to lose, needing bigger stakes for the same buzz, and above all *chasing*: going back another day to win back what you lost. Chasing is the engine of most gambling harm. If you recognize it, the question in your head deserves a proper answer, not a shrug. The standard way to get one is the PGSI — a nine-question screen used by public-health bodies worldwide — and you can take it privately here in about three minutes, no name, no account.

Signs worth noticing

These are the things the screening questions explore. Stakes creeping up. Betting money that had another job. Going back to win it back. Gambling to escape stress rather than for fun. Hiding the numbers, or the time. Stress, poor sleep, or guilt that traces back to it. People around you noticing — even once.

Sports betting, slots, poker, crypto and trading apps that feel like betting — the pattern reads the same way regardless of the game.

A private way to check

The check-in here uses the PGSI — the Problem Gambling Severity Index, the standard population measure of gambling risk. Nine questions, about three minutes, private by default. You get a plain-words result and one first step that fits it — and if the honest answer is that structured or professional support makes sense, it tells you exactly that.

Honest limits

A screening tool estimates how risky a pattern looks — it cannot diagnose anyone. Only a qualified clinician can do that, with a real conversation.
Scores describe the recent past you reported. They don't define you, and they change when the pattern changes.
An honest result needs honest answers, and it's normal for the first attempt to soften things. The tool works best as a private conversation with yourself.

A private way to check where you stand

Three minutes, the same validated screening questions clinicians use, no name and no account. You get a plain-words result and one first step — and crisis support stays free either way.

Start the free check-in

Common questions

How much gambling is too much?

There's no dollar line — a pattern that's harmless for one budget is corrosive for another. Risk shows in behavior: chasing losses, rising stakes, borrowed money, and the stress that follows. That's what the nine PGSI questions actually measure.

Is chasing losses really that serious?

Yes — it's one of the strongest single warning signs in gambling research. Chasing turns individual losses into a cycle, and the cycle is where the real damage happens. If only one thing in your pattern is above 'never', chasing is the one to act on.

Does day trading or crypto count as gambling?

When it's high-frequency, emotionally driven, and chasing losses — functionally, yes, and the same screen reads it well. The question isn't the platform; it's the pattern.

Can I check without anyone knowing?

Yes. No name, no account, nothing shared. Gambling carries more silence and shame than almost any other pattern — the check-in was built for exactly that privacy.

What happens after the check-in?

You see your result immediately in plain words with a free first step. If you want to keep going, a paid plan tracks the trend weekly. If the screen suggests professional support, it says so plainly — including free helplines that never require an account.

The Mansio is a private wellness, education, and behaviour-change support tool. It is not a medical device, not therapy, and not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care. If you're in crisis, call your local emergency number — crisis help is always free and never requires an account.