About 90% of Australians aged 18-34 who regularly use poker machines experience gambling-related harms, according to recent analysis. These harms include lost savings, severed relationships, and other serious consequences. The country faces a gambling problem, with more than 8% of adults negatively impacted to some degree and 1% experiencing extreme harm at very high risk.
Why Gambling Is So Dangerous
The list of gambling-related harms is long and harrowing. Financial damage ranges from reduced spending money to losing life savings or the family home. Gambling also takes an immense psychological toll, causing regret, guilt, shame, and distress, and is linked to depression and anxiety. Research suggests gambling increases suicide risk. Relationship problems such as separation and divorce are common, as gambling harms not only the gambler but also spouses, parents, friends, and employers. Families often shoulder the heaviest burden, with parental gambling associated with higher rates of family violence, conflict, child abuse, and neglect. Broader social damage includes rising crime rates as access to gambling increases.
What Gambling Addiction Looks Like
Gambling addiction is a condition where a person feels compelled to gamble despite causing harm. It is clearly defined by international diagnostic tools, including the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual and the World Health Organization's International Classification of Disease. Screening instruments like the Problem Gambling Severity Index gauge addiction by asking nine questions about gambling activity over the past year.
Who Is Most at Risk
Young people aged 18-34 are most vulnerable to gambling harm, especially from regular poker machine use and online gambling. This age group also spends the most money gambling online. Childhood exposure to gambling increases the risk of serious harm in adulthood, and the earlier a person starts gambling, the more likely they are to develop an addiction. The rise of online gambling and smartphones has brought gambling into the family home, allowing young people to gamble without stepping into a casino or pokies venue.
What Causes Gambling Addiction
Several factors contribute to gambling addiction. Early exposure is critical: teenagers are more willing to take risks due to changes in the prefrontal cortex, and their brains may produce more dopamine in response to unpredictable gambling rewards. Socioeconomic disadvantage plays a role, as poker machines are regressively distributed, with more machines in poorer neighbourhoods. The gambling industry's influence is major, with ads designed to appeal to emotions rather than facts. Advertisers collect personal data on gambling frequency, amounts, and sports preferences to create detailed profiles. Another crucial factor is the lack of robust government regulation. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has vowed to take strong action, but the federal government's response to the Murphy report—which called for a full ban on all gambling advertising across broadcast and online media—has been limited. Imposed restrictions include a ban on ads during live broadcasts, a limit of three ads per hour between 6am and 8:30pm, restrictions on stadium ads and celebrity endorsements, and a triple-lock system for online services requiring log-on, age verification, and opt-out. However, these restrictions take effect in January 2027 at the earliest, and experts doubt they are robust enough to protect young people.
Can Gambling Addiction Be Treated
Yes, gambling addiction is treatable. Many people can recover with commitment and persistence through treatments like cognitive behavioural therapy, which addresses problematic thoughts or behaviours. However, most people with gambling addiction do not seek help, likely due to stigma and shame. The National Gambling Helpline (1800 858 858) and Gambling Help Online offer support.
How to Protect Young People
Over the past 20 years, younger Australians have been conditioned to view gambling as inherent to sport through advertising. Policy-level solutions include cracking down on gambling marketing by implementing the full ad ban recommended by the Murphy report, and strengthening regulation by establishing a national gambling regulator to replace the current system where most wagering operators are licensed in the poorly regulated Northern Territory. On a family level, parents can emphasise the fun of the game rather than the odds, avoid watching sport broadcasts after 8:30pm when gambling ads are permitted, install tools to block gambling access on children's devices, and contact local politicians or sporting clubs to push for reform.
