Gambling participation and harm on the rise in Australia, new study reveals

The federal government should establish a national mandatory pre- commitment system for online gambling, and state governments should implement state-wide mandatory pre-commitment schemes for pokies. This will go a long way to preventing harm from the two most risky and widespread forms of gambling. For those who choose to gamble, mandatory pre-commitment with maximum loss limits would ensure they no longer lose more than they can afford. The federal government should establish a national pre-commitment system for online gambling, and state governments should roll out state-wide pre-commitment for pokies. In parallel, the federal government should investigate the feasibility of a universal system across all gambling environments. Preventing gambling harm will reduce the gambling industry’s profits, so governments need to be prepared to stand up to strong vested interest pushback.

2.2 Clubs can still serve their communities with less pokies revenue

The federal government has responsibility for online gambling but is yet to step up and really own this role. But people still cannot consistently self-exclude from all forms of gambling. And disquiet about the proliferation of online gambling harm triggered the 2023 Murphy Inquiry, which made 31 recommendations supported by multi-partisan consensus – a rare feat. The federal government has taken more than 14 months to respond to the inquiry, but leaks last month on the potential response231 sparked protracted debate in the media, parliament, and Labor’s own caucus – showing how widespread the public support for reform is.

2.1 Gambling taxes are an important source of revenue

• If feasible, a universal pre-commitment system could give gamblers better information about their own spending patterns and regulators better information on broader patterns of gambling and gambling harm – data that currently only the industry itself holds.
• And in NSW – the state with almost as many pokies as the rest of the country combined – the most recent state election was fought at least in part on pokies reforms.
• Gambling normalisation starts young, and sports betting advertising is a major culprit.
• Once a national pre-commitment system for online gambling is well established, it may be possible to extend the system to cover other forms of gambling too.

You can nominate someone you know to support you while you are self-excluded. You can https://artdaily.cc/news/154814/how-to-start-an-online-casino–tips-for-australian also access information about other gambling supports that are available. Policy makers should be guided by data in choosing the regulated upper limits, and be prepared to withstand industry attempts to loosen the seatbelt by lobbying for higher limits. Clubs and hotels also argue that tighter pokies restrictions would imperil jobs. The history of advertising regulation suggests that Australian sport and broadcasters will adapt (see Box 8). After decades of failed attempts, some state governments, notably Tasmania, are finally taking action on pokies.

The proliferation of pokies is a problem that state governments should chip away at over time, at the very least to avoid making things worse. Federal rules around lobbying and political donations are weak,180 enabling those with motivation and resources to have more say – and sway – over public policy than they should. Most venue-based consumer protections rely on individual staff to track gambling risk and know when and how to step in – a difficult task which staff have little incentive to undertake. It difficult to stop.107 And any value of these campaigns as a reminder is drowned out by the torrent of gambling advertising.

Mandate pre-commitment with maxmimum loss limits for pokies

Visit our support tools page to find out about other services and supports that are available. This includes counselling, help managing your finances and information about supporting others. Whether you are registered with BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register or still considering it, there are many other supports available if you want to take control of your gambling.

Pokies are in our suburban pubs and clubs, and betting is constantly available at our fingertips. And a flood of advertising, even in the most obviously inappropriate places,6 continually prompts us to gamble. Australia has taken a lax approach to regulating gambling, and it shows. People who gamble, their families, and the broader community pay the price in their finances, health, and wellbeing.

Chapter 3 outlines a roadmap to prevent gambling harm, by reducing people’s exposure and rolling out tools that will make gambling safer. Lotteries were the most common form of gambling, followed by instant scratch tickets, poker machines, racing and sports betting. New data on gambling in Australia reveals that around 3 million people are engaged in some form of harmful gambling, which is linked to financial stress, family violence and poor mental health. BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register™ is a safe and free Australian Government initiative to block yourself from all licensed Australian online and phone gambling providers. Coordinating reform across jurisdictions will make the changes simpler for people to navigate and strengthen governments to withstand vested interest pushback.