In the introduction the fast expansion of gambling in Spain from 1977
is commented as well as the increment in the number of pathological players
that have appeared connected with this growth. Also the illness
model for this inconvenience is commented as well the connotations that
accompany to its assumption. Subsequently the evolution of the diagnostic
criteria of pathological gambling is presented. A comment on the
double use of the instruments to diagnosis or screening the pathological
gambling for clinical applications and in the epidemiological or socia research. Finally, a revision of the characteristics and psychometric properties
of the most diffused instruments is presented.