Continuum of Risk for Problem Gambling

Gambling, its associated risks and potential problems, can be viewed on a risk continuum. This continuum ranges from no risk—where a person's gambling behaviour is such that no health or social problems have developed—to the extreme end where high risk gambling behaviour results in fairly serious problems for individuals, families and communities. People can move back and forth along the risk continuum at different times, depending on the level of gambling involvement and the level of risk this presents.

The Responsible Gambling Strategy offers a broad range of initiatives, programs, and services corresponding to the problems identified in the Risk Continuum.

The "no risk" area is where activities focus on awareness and prevention initiatives to avoid development of gambling related problems. The "high risk" end of the continuum is where the treatment and aftercare services can be found, designed to meet the need of those people who have developed problems.

The majority of of people who gamble do so without developing any problems and would be placed in the "no risk" category.

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