![[Company Logo Image]](acslogo.gif)
|
|
|
|
Gambling in Australia The Anglican Counselling Service has been successful in receiving funding from the NSW Government’s Casino Community Benefit Fund to address the issue of problem gambling in our region of the New England and North West. There is a story about a preacher who saw a man who looked homeless sitting on a park bench and seemed to be in deep distress so the preacher gave him a $20 note and said quietly, “Never despair.” The next day the preacher saw the man coming toward him hurriedly and the man gave him $60. The preacher asked what the money was for and the man said, “You were right! Never Despair came in first yesterday paying out 6 to 1 odds in the 4th race….” Statistics tell us that 2.1% of Australians are problem gamblers. For this region that equates to about 3 500 people. We have seen only a small fraction of that number. One of the difficulties we find is that many problem gamblers do not recognise their problem – they deny it. I had friend of a problem gambler ring one day seeking an appointment for her friend, to address her gambling. The young woman had lost two jobs because she was caught stealing from the workplace to cater for her gambling addiction. What is problem Gambling? It’s not social gambling which usually occurs with friends and lasts for a limited time period, with predetermined limited losses. It’s not professional gambling. Problem gambling is when an individual becomes preoccupied with gambling by reliving past gambling experiences, or planning the next gambling experience, or thinking of ways to get money with which to gamble. The person may use it as a way of escaping from problems or have an urgent need to make up for the losses. Many problem gamblers believe that money is both the cause and the solution to all their problems. There was a client who believed that whenever he had financial problems the only way to solve them was by gambling. So off he went to the pokies. Often what resulted were deeper financial worries. Consequently, his wife threatened to take the children and go. So he came to ACS seeking help. He was able to discover the underlying reason for his gambling and stop it. Today, he still has a family but also, a greater understanding of his motivation to gamble. When he has financial worries he doesn’t turn to gambling but looks for alternative ways to arrest his difficulties. In 1997-98, Australians spent $11.1 billion on gambling. In 2000-01, it increased to $14.337 billion. Where does it all go?
Since 1975-76 the average household has increased their gambling expenditure by 6.66% per year. NSW is second only to the Northern Territory in the amount it spends per person on gambling at $1 197.56. In NSW, 70% of our gambling money goes to poker machines. In NSW in 2001, there were 101 458 poker machines. The profits per machine were $42 274. This resulted in revenue for the NSW government of $1.191 billion. What has been found is that those who least can afford it, spend the most on gambling. In Fairfield, Sydney in 2001, the average income was $282 per week but spending was, on average, $36.65 per week on poker machines. Gambling can be fun for many people. However, for some addicted to gambling it can be somewhat like being addicted to alcohol or drugs. Gambling is a habit they can’t control and one that can eventually devastate their lives. Studies tell us that it can begin as young as 8 years of age. What kind of problems does compulsive gambling cause? Financial problems, marriage breakup, loss of employment, health problems such as depression, and many gamblers attempt suicide or at least think about it. What are the signs that someone’s gambling is getting out of control? Lying to explain away money that is missing. Chasing losses – that is, trying to make up for money that they have lost. A client lost over $250 000 including her house. Being secretive, unexplained absences from work, breaking promises, denying there’s a problem, being anxious and drinking too much alcohol. Despite all these problems, people can change. People who have sought help have stopped gambling, start working again and slowly put their lives back together again. It is our hope, that our services will be more freely available to problem gamblers and their families (including the children) for counselling and support, life skills courses and mediation to reduce the impact on families, on the workplace, on the social and economic cost to communities and of course, on the individual. Rev Brian Kirk Executive Director Anglican Counselling Service |
|
Send mail to
eservice@acsdarm.org.au with
questions or comments about this web site. For general enquiries see the
Contact Information.
|
