...helps while taking on risk (5)
I believe the answer is:
abets
'helps' is the definition.
(to abet is to aid or assist)
'while taking on risk' is the wordplay.
'while' becomes 'as' (eg 'while I walked' means 'as I walked').
'taking on' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'risk' becomes 'bet' (I've seen this in another clue).
'as' going around 'bet' is 'ABETS'.
(Other definitions for abets that I've seen before include "Gives support" , "Aids and encourages" , "Helps (someone to commit crime)" , "Assists or encourages" , "Assists in wrongdoing" .)