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Gambling-related harm

Key points

  • Gambling is a significant public health concern associated not only with financial losses but also also with health, employment, depression and self-harm 1, 2, 3
  • Of the 4 per cent of Australians who gamble regularly, about 15 per cent can be classified as problem gamblers and a further 15 per cent as at ‘moderate risk’ 3
  • Psychological treatment success rates are high 4, but only about 15 per cent of people with a gambling problem seeks treatment 3
  • For every one person with a gambling problem, it is estimated that five to ten other people are affected by it 5
  • Evidence shows electronic gaming machines (EGMs) are the product most linked to problem gambling and gambling harm. Sixty per cent of the $19 billion per year spent on gambling is lost to EGMs, mostly located in clubs and hotels, with 30 per cent of users engaged in problem gambling 6
  • From a psychological perspective, the environmental conditions in venues and the design of the games themselves make it difficult for people to make informed choices about how much they spend and how long they play 7
  • Opportunities for gambling have expanded in recent years and embraced sophisticated new technologies (e.g. gambling applications on smart phones). The scientific understanding of gambling has grown, and gambling-related harm has become acknowledged as a public health and mental health issue 
  • Evidence shows strong consumer protection measures are needed to help people manage their gambling. Governments have a social responsibility that needs to be actively exercised to protect the public from gambling products that cause harm 

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