Notes

a lot of people will not admit that they have a gambling problem unless they’re referred by counsellor

try to help ppl get out of their gambling debts
any day of the week will see how many ppl down there pumping money into the machines
it’s phenomanl how much people spend and it is actually quite scary and its on the increase
not only poker machines, I know poker machines are the majority but the sheer amount of advertising for sports betting on tv and the access of being able to bet anywhere is having an affect on the younger generation
Used to be a case of having to go to the club, but now it’s on your phone and can gamble as much as you like.
people on pensions, that are older, ppl on benefit, even younger people on youth allowance and at the beginning of their career. a lot of the reason it’s boredom, or initially they’ve had a win and thought this is easy money then over a period of time they lose that initial win and they get in this cycle of chasing their losses and that’s when it gets really difficult to nip that in the butt. It becomes insidious
Your can’t look at someone and know theyre a problem gambler
most of the ppl in the area that
This is one of the reasons our homeless services are bombarded
Can be reffered by crisis centre if homeless of depart of housing etc or mental health service
May have had a good record when all of a sudden theyre thousands of dollars behind and their tenancy is at risk
People also end up with serious mental health issues because of the shame, the relationship breakdowns and everything else that goes with it
The gambling industry employs game designers and psychologists and statisticians that put these games together where they know they are going to draw people in and where they know people will spend more time and money
The flsihing lights and music and people are under this dillusion that if they move away from their machine someone else will get on there and win
The odds of winning the jackpot are one in $1mil
The end result is tragic and it not only affects the gambler it affects their whole family, frineds, work collegues, usualy work reduces, don’t turn up, hide bank account details from partners, say they’re working late
Access gambling hotline or gambling counsellor. Generally not good to confront straight away, need to tread gently because otherwise they can end up on the back foot and violence can occur.
I think a lot of poeple go there to be in the same environment with other people, they might not say a word to anyone but at least theyre in a communal space
People are going to relapse but when they do that’s when they need the support
Self exclusion – for people that are chronically problem gamblers and may have lost everything, it’s a deed that they sign and they can exclude themselves from every venue within and are they live – photo taken and palced in all clubs and if they are seen in the gambling venue they are politely asked to leave
Anywhere where there is a club or pub there will be people addicted to the machines
Definitely on the increase, I think it’s got a lot with people’s desperation of trying to get out of their cycle of financial hardship, they see it as a method of getting their hands on some money,
Can lead to criminal convictions,for pilfering money and putting it through the poker machines.
It’s funny how people will openly admit to mental health issues and drug and alcohol addiction but gambling is still a hidden issue in our society
The increase in tv advertising is certainly having an adverse affect
ppl that i generally see is because they’ve found themselves in serious financial hardship can be hundreds of thousands in debt, access credit cards, personal loans, haven’t paid the home loan and house might be repossessed
Can become a physical attachment, it is an addiction.
advocate with banks and creditors to try and get some hardship provisions put in place
It can be very rapid but it can be over a long period of time.
From my observations it seems people that are unemplyed tend to spiral much quicker than those with a job who can take longer to get to crisis point
See toher people actively searching for problem gambling help and they have actually turned their lives around, unfortunately they are few and far between
Younger crowd and sports betting, its getting out of control,
Only financial counsellor for problem gamblers based in the Bega Valley and I get absolutely swamped
Role covers NSW south east – from bbay, to cooma, to queanbeyan and down to the border, just bombarded by people and people have to go on waiting lists and I worry about what happens to people in the mean time.
of approximately 28 Bega Valley
732 2015
744 2014
2014 247,208,842
2015 256,902,011
9,693,169
Bega Valley as at June 30 2015
33,475 total
But in the age brackets of 14 and uynder there are 5329.
In my calculations that means gambling population (plus a few extras as there is a 15-19 yo group included here) is 28,146
And therefore the $256,902,011 turnover equates to an estimated average of $9127.48 per person aged 15 and over.

Punters pump $250m into pokies each year

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