Are you concerned about your or a loved one’s gambling habits?

You wanted to play for just a short while, but time flew by before you knew it. Sounds familiar? If so, it may be a good idea to watch how long you play and set a limit.

If you constantly find yourself saying, “Just one more game,” it may be time to take a break from gambling.

Getting carried away and spending more money than you’d planned can happen.

But it should sound an alarm if you realize that your gambling budget seems to keep increasing, you risk money you can’t afford to lose or you start thinking about borrowing money to gamble.

Keeping an eye on your spending and setting clear limits can help avoid nasty surprises.

If this sounds familiar, it would be wise to step off that path. Borrowing money to play and hoping to win to pay off debts is a course of action you should avoid at all costs.

Taking a break from gambling could be a good way to not run up more debt. And, if you need to, think about asking for help to get out of this situation since it can affect both your relationships and financial health

Lying or even hiding to be able to play is a surefire sign that things aren’t going well.

Maybe you don’t want your loved ones to worry about you, or you fear how they’ll react. What’s important, though, is being transparent and truthful, with yourself first and with others. It helps keep good gambling habits. There’s no shame in gambling—or in asking for help.

Is gambling starting to interfere with your responsibilities at work, home or school?

If gambling makes you put off important tasks or miss commitments, it may be time to assess your habits, set limits and give yourself the means to stick to them.

Trying to recoup the money you lost gambling by continuing to play may be tempting, but it’s highly risky.

While we’re experiencing the ups and downs that come with gambling, we may forget that the outcome is always decided by chance and can’t be predicted. That’s when taking a step back becomes crucial, so we remember that the odds of losing are always higher than the odds of winning. The more we play, the more we risk losing.

Do you prefer gambling to spending time with friends and family? Are you becoming increasingly secluded?

Maintaining healthy relationships and regular social interaction is crucial for our well-being. When gambling becomes a higher priority than social relationships, that probably means your life is out of balance.