The number of Australians seeking help online for gambling has surged by 24% in the last year, according to Gambling Help Online data obtained by TDA.
This service has a 24/7 chat feature that connects gamblers to professional counsellors. The Federal, state and territory governments fund the service.
The context:
Australians are the world’s biggest gamblers, losing $25 billion a year.
Online gambling (e.g. sports betting) accounts for a growing share of these losses.
Three times as many Australians gamble online today as did a decade ago.
Online gambling help:
According to government data from Gambling Help Online, every state and territory recorded a rise in gambling help requests in the last year.
NSW, Victoria, WA, Tasmania, and the NT all saw increases of over 30%.
Australia’s most populous states made the most requests: NSW (2,877) and Victoria (2,034).
This was followed by Queensland and South Australia. Tasmania (151) and NT (60) had the least counselling requests.
NSW gambling:
NSW had the most requests for gambling help. It has the most pokies in Australia, turning over almost $100 billion per year, according to the NSW Crime Commission. The state’s gambling support service told TDA almost two-thirds of gamblers seeking help primarily used pokies in 2021/22.
Pokies reform was one of the biggest issues at the state election in March. NSW Premier Chris Minns committed to a trial (instead of a full implementation) of cashless gaming, which is currently underway.
What’s being done?
After a parliamentary inquiry into online gambling last year, governments around the country introduced several gambling reforms.
This includes a recent Federal Government announcement that Australians will have the option to indefinitely ban themselves from online betting from next month.
Victoria has also recently announced a crackdown on gambling, including limiting gamblers to putting $100 into a machine at a time. It’s not yet known when this will come into effect.
