Provides a public health response to the risks and harms of gambling through community education, community grants, provision of services for people affected by gambling, policy development and research.
http://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/gamblingA website addressing gamblers’ misunderstandings about how commercial gambling works.
https://healthworkers.knowyourodds.net.auTasmanian industry data
http://www.treasury.tas.gov.au/liquor-and-gaming/about-us/tasmanian-liquor-and-gaming-commissionInformation on the Commonwealth Government’s responses to problem gambling in Australia.
https://www.dss.gov.au/communities-and-vulnerable-people/programmes-services/gamblingPublications and resources for policy-makers, researchers and professionals in the gambling area.
https://aifs.gov.au/agrcResearch, resources
https://responsiblegambling.vic.gov.auProductivity Commission 2010, Gambling, Report no. 50, Canberra.
Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission Annual Report 2016-17
Delfabbro, Paul, Anna Thomas, and Andrew Armstrong. “Observable Indicators and Behaviors for the Identification of Problem Gamblers in Venue Environments.”Journal of Behavioral Addictions 5.3 (2016): 419–428. PMC. Web. 5 June 2018.
McQuade, Anne and Gill, Peter. The role of loneliness and self-control in predicting problem gambling behaviour [online]. Gambling Research: Journal of the National Association for Gambling Studies (Australia), Vol. 24, No. 1, May 2012
Gambling Help Online – Understanding Gambling: Impact on Health: Gambling and alcohol
At Odds: Young Australians Gamble “Hard and Fast”
Thomas, S. and Jackson, A. (2008). Report to beyondblue: Risk and Protective Factors, Depression and Comorbidities in Problem Gambling, Monash University and University of Melbourne; Department of Human Services (2009). Because mental health matters: Victorian Mental Health Reform Strategy 2009-19, Mental Health and Drugs Division, Department of Human Services, Melbourne.
Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation – Gen Bet: Has Gambling Gatecrashed our Teens? 2017
Australian Productivity Commission (1999) Australian Gambling Industries, Report No.10, AusInfo, Canberra
Gambling Motivated Fraud in Australia 2011 – 2016 Warfield and Associates
The information here will help you support clients who may be affected by problem gambling. It will help you identify the signs of problem gambling, give the right information, and make the most suitable referrals to clients and their families who may be at risk of gambling related harm.
Problem gambling is a public health issue affecting thousands of Tasmanians.
On these pages you can find out about the historical and cultural contexts of gambling in Tasmania, the risks and harms of problem gambling, and what to do if you think a client you work with is affected adversely by gambling.
Gambling is common among Australians. Over 80% of Australian adults engage in gambling of some kind, which is the highest rate of gambling in the world. Lots of people might only gamble once or twice a year, on a scratchie perhaps, a horse race, or a game of bingo. Lots of people gamble regularly, and some develop serious gambling problems.
Over the last couple of decades the gambling industry has changed significantly, with the emergence of online gambling, sports betting, electronic gaming machines (‘pokies’), a range of new lotteries and other gambling products. Gambling promotions and marketing has also changed and grown. With these changes has come public debate: How much should gambling and its promotions be regulated? Who should have responsibility to keep gambling safe? Should children be exposed to gambling advertising?
Gambling is a significant public health issue, with around 80,000 to 160,000 (or 0.5 – 1.0%) of Australian adults experiencing significant problems from gambling and a further 250,000 to 350,000 (or 1.4 – 2.1% of adults) experiencing moderate risks that make them vulnerable to problem gambling.
The Social and Economic Impact Study of Gambling in Tasmania, collects data on problem gambling, and gambling participation numbers, the amounts lost every year in different forms of gambling, how much is lost on pokies and so on.
For example, did you know:
Around 2% of the adult population in Tasmania are either ‘moderate risk gamblers’ or ‘problem gamblers’.
That's over 6500 people.
The highest adult participation rates for gambling types in Tasmania in 2017 were lottery tickets (38.5% of adults participate in lottery gambling), Keno (25.9%), scratchies (20.5% and pokies (18.6%).
In the financial year 2016 – 2017 Tasmanians lost around $180 million on pokies. (This is listed as ‘expenditure’ in the Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission reports.)