Assessment
GEAR Gambling Assessment
A free, private self-assessment that identifies your gambling risk level, which of the three clinical pathways fits your pattern, and what function gambling actually serves in your life. That last part matters because treatment that ignores function fails.
Format
~5 minutes, multiple choice
Privacy
Runs in your browser. No data stored on any server.
What it measures
- Current gambling risk level (minimal, moderate, or severe)
- Your gambling pathway: behavioral, emotional, or impulsive
- Functional analysis of what gambling provides that other things in your life do not
- Consequences across financial, relational, occupational, and psychological domains
- Treatment readiness and which intervention level fits your situation
Who it's for
Individuals
If you're questioning whether your gambling has become a problem, or you know it has and want to understand the pattern, the GEAR gives you concrete language for what's happening.
Family members
If someone you love gambles and you want to understand the clinical picture, the GEAR's pathway framework explains why "just stop" doesn't work and what actually does.
Clinicians
The GEAR generates a functional analysis and pathway classification you can integrate into treatment planning. Free to use with clients.
What your results mean
The GEAR classifies your gambling pattern into one of three pathways identified by Blaszczynski and Nower. Each pathway has a different origin, different maintaining factors, and responds to different treatment approaches.
Behavioral pathway
Gambling became a habit through repeated exposure and intermittent reinforcement. The pattern is maintained by conditioning, not underlying psychological distress. Responds well to structured behavioral interventions, psychoeducation, and controlled gambling programs where appropriate.
Emotional pathway
Gambling serves a regulatory function: it manages anxiety, depression, loneliness, or boredom that predates the gambling itself. Behavioral strategies alone won't hold because they don't address what gambling was doing for you. Treatment requires addressing the emotional vulnerability alongside the gambling behavior.
Impulsive pathway
Gambling is part of a broader pattern of impulsivity that often includes other risk-taking behaviors. The neurobiology here involves impulse control systems, not just reward pathways. Treatment typically needs to be more intensive and address the impulsivity itself, not just its expression through gambling.
Frequently asked questions
Is the GEAR Assessment a clinical diagnosis?
No. The GEAR is a self-assessment that identifies your risk level and gambling pathway. It provides clinically useful information, but a formal diagnosis requires evaluation by a licensed clinician.
What are the three gambling pathways?
The Blaszczynski and Nower pathways model identifies three routes into gambling disorder: behaviorally conditioned (habit-driven, responds well to structured intervention), emotionally vulnerable (gambling serves as emotional regulation), and impulsive/antisocial (linked to broader impulse control difficulties). Treatment differs significantly depending on your pathway.
Will my results be stored or shared?
No. The GEAR runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server. Your results stay on your device unless you choose to share them.
How long does the GEAR take?
About 5 minutes. The assessment asks about gambling frequency, triggers, consequences, and the psychological functions gambling serves in your life.