Study links betting advertisements to problem gambling

GAMBLING STOCK

Gamblers play poker machines, known as pokies, in Brisbane, Thursday, March 22, 2012. (AAP Image/Dan Peled) NO ARCHIVING Source: AAP / DAN PELED/AAPIMAGE

A new report has found almost half of gamblers are at some risk of harm, including unmanageable debt and mental health issues. It's led to calls for the government to get tough, with the study showing a strong link between betting ads and riskier gambling behaviour.


Young men aged 18 to 35 are especially vulnerable to problem gambling.

But gender and age is as far as the data currently goes.

There's no real data on what the rates of gambling harm might be in culturally and linguistically diverse communities, or other groups potentially marginalised and vulnerable to poorer health outcomes.

But the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation has been working with groups like the Multicultural Centre for Women's Health to distribute information on gambling in different languages, so they're not excluded from support.

They've also worked with Indigenous grassroots organisation Strong Brother Strong Sister on early intervention initiatives.

Strong Brother CEO Cormach Evans says he has seen how necessary these kinds of programs are.

A lot of individuals that are experiencing gambling harm are living in low socioeconomic areas, might be really low income earners, and really using gambling as a means to make ends meet, which in many ways doesn't work. So they're going to the pokies to be able to hopefully try and win money to be able to pay the next bill, to be able to pay rent and get by, but in most situations obviously it's setting them further back and behind.

Share