Understanding problem gambling
Problem gambling happens when gambling starts to affect your life, relationships, or finances in ways that feel harmful or out of control.
While gambling might feel exciting or like a way to escape, it can be hard to stop once it becomes part of your routine. If gambling is starting to feel overwhelming, you’re not alone.
With the right support, it's possible to take back control and create positive change.
What is considered gambling?
Gambling can show up in more ways than you might expect. It’s not just pokies or betting on the races. It can include things like:
- Lotto and scratchies
- Card games with money involved
- Sports betting or online betting
- Casino games
- Stock market speculation or cryptocurrency trading, especially when it feels risky or out of control.
In Australia, around 70% of adults take part in some kind of gambling each year. For many, it’s a once-in-a-while thing. But for some, it can become overwhelming and affect the way they think, feel, and act, making everyday life harder to manage.
- The truth about gambling
- People experiencing problem gambling lose, on average, around $21,000 each year
- They're six times more likely to go through a divorce
- They're four times more likely to experience challenges with alcohol use
- Children of parents who struggle with gambling are up to 10 times more likely to develop gambling challenges themselves.
Gambling challenges don’t always look the same. And problem gambling does not have to mean you are totally out of control. It's any gambling behaviour that disrupts your life, your relationships or the lives of the people around you.
A common reaction is to minimise, hide or deny gambling problems and the harm they could be causing. Some people might also actively lie to themselves or others about how much money or time is being spent on gambling. For many, accepting that their gambling is becoming a problem can be difficult.
“Whenever I had time, money or opportunity, I was mentally drawn to gambling. ”
If you'd like more information on problem gambling, you can:
- Read about the signs and effects of problem gambling
- Learn short-term strategies to help understand and manage gambling habits
- Find information on how to support someone who's experiencing problem gambling.
Click here to download, save, or print our problem gambling fact sheet.
