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
Gambling related harms can be experienced by individual gamblers, their social network (family and friends) and the broader community. There is a range of types of harm, which can be exacerbated, as well as generated, by gambling.
These harms include financial harm, relationship disruption, conflict or breakdown, emotional or psychological distress, reduced performance at work or study, and criminal activity.
Some people (and their families) end up losing their jobs, cars and even their homes because of the money spent on gambling.
‘John’ and ‘Mary’ talk about the harms to their lives life due to problem gambling.
Julia describes how she lost her house because of gambling.
Early signs that a person may be having problems with their gambling include:
Problem gambling can have overwhelming emotional and psychological impacts on the gambler and their families and friends. It is estimated that for every one person with a gambling problem, another seven people are affected adversely.
Gambling affects family and friends.
People discuss the effects of problem gambling on those around them.
It is estimated that for every one person with a gambling problem,
another seven people are affected adversely.
People with gambling problems are 2.4 times more likely to experience depression than people without gambling problems. They also have an elevated risk of suicide, and experience more suicidal ideation and suicide attempts than the general community. Thirty six per cent of people with gambling problems experience severe mental illness, compared to around 3% of the broader population.
People with serious gambling problems sometimes commit crimes to support their gambling.
Being convicted of criminal activity can have a profound effect on the person with a gambling problem. This can include job losses, time in prison, mental health problems, financial problems and harm to family relationships. Harm also is experienced by the victims of the crime. These crimes generate costs to the community arising from the associated police investigations, court administration and incarceration.
