Responsible Gambling Calculator
Assess your gambling risk across four dimensions: financial exposure, game selection, betting strategy, and behavioral patterns. Get a personalised risk profile with expected loss calculations and actionable insights.
This calculator runs entirely in your browser. No data is collected, stored, or sent to any server. Fully anonymous and GDPR-compliant.
Financial Profile
Start with your monthly income and expenses. This helps estimate what percentage of your income goes to gambling.
Net salary, freelance income, etc.
Rent, bills, food, transport, subscriptions
How much you typically spend on gambling per month
What is House Edge?
Every casino game has a built-in mathematical advantage for the operator, known as the house edge. This is the difference between the true odds of a game and the payout odds offered by the casino.
The key insight: house edge applies to total amount wagered, not your initial deposit. If you deposit €100 and make 500 bets at €1 each, you have wagered €500 – and the expected loss is €20 (4% of €500), not €4.
Why Betting Strategies Don't Work
Betting strategies like Martingale, Fibonacci, and D'Alembert are popular because they create the illusion of control. They restructure when you win and lose, but they cannot change the underlying mathematics.
Martingale (doubling after each loss) produces many small wins and rare catastrophic losses. The expected value remains negative regardless of bet sizing. Progressive strategies actually increase risk by concentrating losses into fewer, larger events.
The only way to reduce your expected loss is to play games with a lower house edge (like blackjack with basic strategy at 0.5%) or to wager less total money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my data safe?
Yes. This calculator runs entirely in your browser. No data is collected, stored, or sent to any server. When you close or refresh the page, all inputs are gone.
What is house edge and why does it matter?
House edge is the mathematical advantage the casino has on every bet. A 4% house edge means that for every €100 wagered, the casino keeps €4 on average. Over thousands of bets, your actual results converge toward this expected loss.
Can a betting strategy beat the house edge?
No. No betting strategy can change the mathematical house edge. Strategies like Martingale change the distribution of wins and losses (more small wins, fewer but larger losses) but do not improve your long-term expected return.
What is the PGSI?
The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) is a clinically validated screening tool developed by Ferris & Wynne in 2001. It uses 9 questions to assess gambling behavior on a scale from 0 (non-problem) to 27 (severe problem gambling). It is widely used by health professionals and responsible gambling organisations.
How accurate are the expected loss calculations?
Expected loss calculations use the mathematical house edge and your stated betting volume. They represent long-term averages – actual results in any given month will vary due to variance. Think of it as the amount the casino expects to keep from your play over time.
What should I do if the calculator shows high risk?
If your results indicate high risk or problem gambling, please reach out to a support service. BeGambleAware (begambleaware.org), GamCare (gamcare.org.uk), and Gambling Therapy (gamblingtherapy.org) all offer free, confidential support.
Need Help?
If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling, free and confidential support is available 24/7: