Problem Gambling

This page provides information about What Problem Gambling Is the Warning Signs how Gambling Can Affect you and others around you and suggests some Strategies to Control Gambling.

 

For further information you could also:

 Visit the Responsible Gambling Website or seek assistance from:
Mission Australia Link

Mission Australia offers a free counselling service provided to members of the community who are experiencing problems withgambling and the associated financial difficulties that are often encountered as a result. For further information call Mission Australia on 1800 858 858.
link to gambling help online

For the first time ever, Australians are able to access qualified gambling counsellors online who can provide support either through live counselling or email.  The service operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be accessed anywhere from within Australia.  People will have the option to seek assistance anonymously or to register with the service in order to keep a record of their discussions. To find out more click on the logo and visit the website.

What is problem gambling?

Gambling has been part of Australian culture for a long time, in fact some people argue that colonising Australia was a huge gamble in itself !

Statistics on gambling in Australia show that since the 1997/98 financial year, gambling expenditure (player losses) has risen from $11 billion to over $16 billion in 2003/04.

So gambling is a normal and accepted part of our culture. Yet those people who are experiencing problems due to gambling often feel rejected, misunderstood and isolated because there is little knowledge in our community about the potential dangers of gambling. 

Anybody who gambles has the potential to develop problems. People often begin to lose control when difficult personal issues arise and gambling becomes a coping strategy. Problem gambling is characterised by a strong pull or compulsion towards gambling which becomes more and more difficult to resist. People describe this as the urge to gamble and say that despite all the logical arguments they have against gambling, this urge will not go away until it is satisfied (by gambling). 

People often become frustrated with themselves and carry feelings of guilt, shame and embarrassment. Excessive gambling can lead to significant problems which may harm relationships, finances, work, physical health and mental health. At this point, gambling is described as problem gambling.


Warning Signs

The following are some of the signs that gambling has become a problem:

  • Gambling more money than is affordable
  • Being preoccupied with gambling (reliving past gambling experiences, thinking of ways to get money for gambling etc)
  • Making repeated, unsuccessful attempts to cut down or stop gambling and being irritable or restless during these attempts
  • Gambling to escape problems or to relieve negative feelings
  • Chasing losses (gambling more money to try to win back losses)
  • Lying to others to conceal the extent of gambling
  • Obtaining money illegally to gamble
  • Risking relationships and work or educational opportunities due to gambling
  • Borrowing from friends, family or financial institutions to finance gambling or gambling related debts
  • Gambling alone
  • Gambling a significant proportion of income on pay day
  • Feeling stresses during and/or after a gambling session
  • Gambling being the only source of fun
     

Gambling can affect:

  • Personal life

    Feeling depressed and gambling to escape pressures or conflict. Feelings of loneliness and isolation from family and friends.

  • Family life

    Relationships suffering. Family members covering up addictive behaviour by paying debts. Lying to keep the extent of gambling a secret.

  • Financial situation

    Borrowing money to delay disaster. Gambling until all the money is gone. Gambling to chase losses, even when in debt. Financial difficulties possibly leading to legal problems.

  • Work life

    Loss of concentration. Lost time from work due to gambling. Decreased work productivity. Working long hours to obtain money to gamble.

  • Health

    Stress related illness, such as headaches, back pain, inability to sleep, mood swings and hypertension. Loss of control over gambling can trigger feelings of guilt and desperation which can lead to thoughts of suicide.

  • Values

    Thoughts of "borrowing" from employers or friends, committing fraud or forgery. Lying about the amount of time and money spent on gambling.

  • Social life

    Preferring to gamble alone. Little time for socialising. Avoiding friends who have lent money.
     

Strategies to Control Gambling

Following are some suggestions for reducing the harm associated with gambling:

  • Work out how much you can afford to spend on gambling and budget for it. 
  • Be careful to stick to your gambling budget. One way to do this is to only take the amount of money you have budgeted for gambling.
  • Only use your own money.
  • Practice delay in responding to the urge to gamble by doing something else or finding long term alternative enjoyable activities.
  • Gamble in company - not alone.
  • Develop a support network of family or friends to talk to when you want to resist the urge to gamble.
  • Sometimes, even after trying some of these strategies, dealing with gambling problems can be too difficult to do alone. This is when the extra support of someone who specialises in gambling counselling can be very helpful.
  • Exclude yourself from gambling at one or more venues by completing a Deed of Exclusion Act legisation Registerand lodging it with a Gambling Contact Officer at your local gaming venue.  Mission Australia can also assist you with this process.

 



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