Australian Capital Territory adults suffer from gambling harm at unprecedented levelsEstimated 1 in 5 ACT adults is at a risk of developing gambling addictionThe 2019 ACT Gambling Survey puts 14% of the ACT population as negatively impacted by gambling
A new survey by the Australian National University’s Center for Gambling Research has indicated that 14% of Australian Capital Territory residents have been negative affected by gambling.
ACT’s Comprehensive Gambling Survey Finds 14% of Population Negatively Impacted
Estimated 14% of ACT residents have been negatively affected by gambling, a new research commissioned by the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and carried out by the Australian National University’s Centre for Gambling Research has indicated, citing concerns that Aussies’ proclivity for the occasional flutter has taken on more serious dimensions.
Researchershave said that there needs to be a public debate about the promulgationof gambling activities in the country, as the latest numbers are far above theaverage even in developed gaming markets, such as the United Kingdom.
To reachthese results, researchers have interviewed 10,000 residents in ACT,extrapolating that over 40,000 people now have been the victim ofgambling – whether through a relative or by indulging in the pastimethemselves. All participants were interviewed between April 1 and May 24.
Based onthe latest survey, which collated interviews from 2009, 2014 and 2019,some 68,000 people in ACT have gambled online in the 12 months leading to theinterviews. In other words, 1 in 4 adults have been indulging in some form ofonline gambling.
Accordingto the research’s lead author, Dr. Marisa Paterson, the findings shouldprompt a debate if the government has 7BALL shown too little interest in monitoringand regulating gambling. This is what Dr. Paterson said on the occasion:
These results are not something we should walkaway from and say ‘we’re ok here’. We need to seriously consider gambling andits role in our community.
Financial and Sociological Factors Pushing Australians into Gambling
Theresearchers specifically looked into potential triggers of excessive gamblingbehavior, analyzing financial hardships, mental and physicalwell-being and other key factors that might have contributed todeveloping a form of mild addiction.
Then, theresearchers also cited evidence that gambling was widely-spread among thepopulation, regardless of the fact whether an individual had become addicted.Nearly 60% of ACT’s residents have gambled at least once in their pastyear.
Numberswere relatively evenly matched across the sexes with 64% of all males havinggambled at least once and 56% of all women following suite. Interestingly,gambling was more wide-spread among older generations, and particularly thoseaged 45 and 59 years. However, youngsters – and specifically anyone below 45 yearsof age was far more likely to gamble online.
Estimated10% of residents already suffered of at least one symptom that is associatedwith gambling addiction. To arrive at this number, researches used a popularmetric – the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI).
Tohighlight the potential complications, researchers explained that estimated34,000 adults may now be at a risk of tipping into gambling addiction.
Do Australian Gamblers in ACT Seek Out Help?
Even thoughestimated 14% are said to suffer from some form of gambling addiction, only 2%have sought help, according to the survey – in the period of 12 months leadingup to the interviews.
Estimated24% of people who have suffered gambling problems in their lifetime have soughtout help. The survey also established that family and friends were among mostcommon go-to options for people seeking to address their condition. This, inturn, gives credence to initiatives that relyon volunteers who know how to address similar situations or haveexperienced them themselves.
Nearly 50%of all interviewees in the ACT have sought help online with 15% turning to agambling helpline. Estimated 12% of all respondents said that they have turnedto friends and another 9% have gone directly to GamblersAnonymous.
