Survey reveals about one in six ACT adults experience harm due to gambling
A survey of more than 10,000 adults has revealed the most comprehensive study into gambling harm in the ACT, finding that around one in six ACT adults, approximately 58,000 people, experience some harm from gambling.
The 2024 ACT Gambling Survey - conducted by CQUniversity’s Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory and commissioned and funded by the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission - found that 53.2 per cent of ACT residents took part in some form of gambling in the past year.
“While that figure shows an ongoing decline in the percentage of adults participating in gambling, compared to previous surveys, those who do gamble are more likely to experience gambling problems,” Experimental Gambling Researcher Professor and report co-author Matthew Rockloff explained.
“Among those who gamble, 17.6 per cent are experiencing some level of problems - up from just 10 per cent in 2014,” he said.
“When harm is considered more specifically as negative consequences of gambling, 9.1 per cent of adults, and 17.1 per cent of people who gamble reported experiencing harm due to their own gambling. In addition, 5.7 per cent reported harm from someone else’s gambling, and 5.7 per cent reported harm due to gambling that happened more than 12 months ago. Altogether, 15.8 per cent of all ACT adults reported harm from gambling in some form.”
Co-author Associate Professor Alex Russell said young men stood out in the findings.
“Young men are more likely to engage in high-risk forms of gambling like pokies, casino table games and sports betting - and they’re the most likely to experience harm from their own gambling,” Assoc Prof Russell said.
Key findings include:
- Men were more likely to gamble than women, across almost all gambling types
- Young women without tertiary education were the most likely to be harmed by someone else’s gambling
- Pokies cause the greatest harm, accounting for about one-third of harm to people who gamble
- A small number of people who gamble account for most of the losses: 1.4 per cent of people who gamble account for 45.5 per cent of total gambling losses and related industry profit.
- Online gambling is increasing, with 26.9 per cent of ACT adults gambling online, up from 20.9 per cent in 2019 and 8.4 per cent in 2014
The report was also co-authored by CQUniversity Professor Matthew Browne and Professor Nerilee Hing, and highlights that gambling-related harm is not just conceptual but is associated with real-life impacts such as financial hardship, lower wellbeing and increased alcohol use.
CEO of the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission Giuseppe Mangeruca emphasised the importance of gambling surveys to the work of the Commission, stating that: “The ACT Gambling Survey, which the Commission undertakes every five years, is a vital tool that allows us to assess change in gambling prevalence and behaviours over time, enabling longer term gambling trends to become clear.”
Mr Mangeruca added that: “The findings in this report will enable the Commission to continue to refine our gambling harm prevention and support, communications, and regulatory approaches to protect Canberrans from harm as the gambling environment continues to evolve.”
The report also explored public attitudes to harm reduction, with results showing that around two-thirds of ACT adults want to see a decrease in the number of pokies in the community - and nearly half supporting a substantial reduction.
The full report can be accessed the 2024 ACT Gambling Survey.
More information on the activities of the Gambling and Racing Commission is available at gamblingandracing.act.gov.au.
