Introduction To date, very few studies about links between work and addictive disorders concern behavioural addictive disorders such as gambling. Such behaviours may be adaptative strategy for unsatisfied workers. The common physiopathology of addictive disorders allows us to hypothesise that it is possible that such troubles at work could promote gambling. Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence of gambling among workers and its links with work.

Patients and Methods We performed a descriptive cross-sectional monocentric study among all workers who consulted one physician between November 2016 and April 2017, from an occupational health service in Brittany, France. The first step was to ask whether they have gambled during the last year and if it was related to their occupation. The second step was a screening for risky gamblers (using the ‘Lie or Bet’ questionnaire) among these and then to assess more precisely the severity (using the Indice Canadien du Jeu Excessif, ICJE questionnaire).

Results Among 410 workers who consulted the physician, 138 (33.7%) reported gambling during the past year and 12 (2.9%) considered themselves their gambling experience as related to work. 36 (8.8%) workers were screened as risky gamblers. Among these, the evaluation with the ICJE questionnaire reported 9 (2.2%) workers with no risk, 14 (3.4%) with a low risk, 13 (3.2%) with a moderate risk and no excessive gamblers.

Discussion Addictive disorders at work are often reduced to the question of substance use disorders, focusing on security aspects. But vulnerability factors are similar to behavioural addictive disorders, including psychosocial risk factors at work. Moreover problem gambling can easily be hidden in a social and professional life. As problem gambling has social repercussions and could be related to work, it should be a topic of interest for occupational health practitioners.