The “Regulation of gaming machines” report acknowledges that the government has a clear strategy and priorities, which it has communicated to stakeholders.

However, the report warns that there’s a lack of clear focus on reducing gambling harm. Furthermore, there are no measurable targets:

“The strategy does not have a sufficient focus on the areas that are considered high-risk for gambling harm and does not set any targets for reducing harm associated with gaming machines. Gaming machine losses and the social costs of gambling harm continue to be disproportionately concentrated in socio-economically disadvantaged communities.”

Major Findings and Government Shortfalls

As of June 2024, NSW is home to 87,749 machines, accounting for more than half of Australia’s total.

While the NSW government reduced the machine cap from 99,000 to 95,739 in December 2024, the current total is below that, allowing for thousands of additional machines.

Despite legislative intent to reduce the number of machines, the total has grown by 958 in the past two years. At the current rate of removing 598 machines per year, it will take NSW 55 years to reach the national average per capita.

In 2023-2024, the machines generated AU$ 8.4 billion ($5.5 billion) in profit. During that period, NSW collected AU$ 2.3 billion ($1.5 billion) in tax revenue.

The Auditor-General highlights several shortfalls of the NSW government:

• Regulation is consistent, but there is a lack of harm minimization strategies, such as benchmarks and targets in place to mitigate potential harm.
• There is no consistency in license condition reviews, resulting in many venues operating under outdated conditions.
• Despite the 2001 forfeiture scheme aimed at reducing the number of machines, the number is increasing.
• Gambling losses have increased for three straight years.
• Gambling helpline calls have increased by 8.5% between 2023 and 2024.
• Disproportionate concentration of losses in low-income and disadvantaged communities.

Recommendations for Reform

The report also outlines specific actions for two key government bodies.

By June 2026, the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport should:

• Increase its focus on harm minimization by setting clear baselines and targets to track progress, prioritizing enforcement of rules, and publicly evaluating and reporting the outcomes of its regulatory activities.
• Strengthen the gaming machine forfeiture scheme by reviewing and removing current exemptions that cannot be justified by evidence and prioritizing incentives for licensees to forfeit machines voluntarily.

Meanwhile, by June 2026, the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority should:

• Conduct regular reviews of license conditions in high-risk locations and align them with current best practices in harm reduction.
• Increase clarity around its decision-making process on machine applications. Actions include publishing detailed statements on the reasons for its decisions. Also, providing clear explanations to those who have been denied a license.

Report Echoes Activist Charity’s Calls for Action

The Auditor-General’s report aligns with recent calls for stronger regulation by Wesley Mission, a charity advocating for gambling reform.

The charity’s recent study revealed that NSW gamblers have lost AU$ 2.17 billion ($1.41 billion) playing poker machines in the first 90 days of 2025. That represented a 5.7% yearly increase, equivalent to AU$ 1 million ($650,000) per hour, or AU$ 24 million ($15.6 million) per day.

Wesley Mission stressed that the highest losses are concentrated in Sydney’s western suburbs. It called for specific actions for the government to take to reduce losses:

• Mandatory machine shutdowns from midnight to 10 a.m.
• A tighter cap on the number of machines in high-risk areas.
• Introduction of a cashless gambling card with enforceable harm reduction limits.

The NSW government implemented a trial of cashless gambling cards in 2023 but did not decide whether to incorporate them.

Wesley Mission was also on the NSW government’s expert independent panel on gambling reform, which released recommendations in 2024. However, the NSW government has not yet responded to those recommendations.

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Should the recommendations be adopted in practice, it would see gambling addiction screening aligned with checks for smoking and alcohol consumption in the UK. 

The NICE guidelines recommend that GPs and social care professionals “consider asking people about gambling” even if they have no apparent risk factors for gambling-related harm when asking about smoking, alcohol, or the use of other substances. The questions could come as part of a complete health assessment or when registering for a GP or social services. 

NICE’s Gambling Screening Guidelines: Who Will Be Asked?

The language changes from ‘consider asking’ to ‘ask’ when assessing certain people, as under the guidelines, they ‘may be at increased risk of gambling-related harm.’ 

The guidelines outline the following situations in which people will be asked:

• Patients with a mental health problem or concern, in particular thoughts about self-harm or suicide, depression, anxiety, psychosis and bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), personality disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD);
• When a patient is taking medication that may impact impulse control. Examples provided in the guidelines include dopamine agonists for Parkinson’s disease and aripiprazole for psychosis; 
• At each contact with the criminal justice system, including but not limited to police, probation services, courts, prisons, and liaison and diversion services;
• People presented in any setting with problems relating to alcohol or substance dependence, with specific mention of cocaine use;
• When a person is at risk or is experiencing homelessness;
• When concerns over financial stability are expressed;
• Where there are concerns around safeguarding issues or violence, with specific mention of domestic abuse;
• If a professional is made aware of a family history of gambling-related harm or alcohol and substance dependence. 

It offers more lenient language around young people who have recently left home for the first time, people with a neurological condition or acquired brain injury that leads to increased impulsivity, and those who have formerly worked in the armed forces or gambling and financial industry and sports professionals. The groups mentioned above ‘may be at increased risk of harm.’ 

The guidelines also ask healthcare professionals to take into account that ticking multiple ‘at risk’ boxes can have a cumulative effect and make it significantly more likely that someone will experience gambling-related harm. 

Professionals are told to use direct questions to ask people about gambling and to be aware that some people ‘may find it difficult’ to speak about the topic. Guidelines suggest using questions such as “Do you gamble?” and “Are you worried about your own or another person’s gambling?” 

How Will Healthcare Professionals Screen for Gambling Addiction?

Anyone with concerns about gambling will be encouraged to complete the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) questionnaire available on the NHS website, which will be used to evaluate the severity of the gambling-induced harm. Those who score above eight will be advised to seek specialist gambling treatment services, while professionals are free to recommend support intervention where considered pertinent. 

NICE’s chief medical officer, Professor Jonathan Benger, commented. “Gambling-related harm has a devastating impact on those who experience it and the people close to them. Our useful and usable guideline will help healthcare professionals and others to identify those needing help earlier and ensure they get the treatment and support they need.”

Baroness Fiona Twycross, Minister for Gambling, welcomed NICE’s guidelines, stating, “This guidance will support those experiencing harmful gambling to get access to the right support. We know that clinical treatment is not necessarily right for everyone, but it is important that there is a full spectrum of support as we strengthen treatment options.”

The 2023 Gambling Survey for Great Britain found that 2.5% of the adults surveyed were classified as problem gamblers (PGSI score of 8+), while 12% were at an elevated risk of harm (PGSI score 1–7). 

Baroness Twycross continued, “The Government’s plans to introduce a statutory levy, which will generate £100 million each year, will provide the investment needed to further expand the support and treatment on offer for those in need.”

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In response to the annual report, the gambling support charity’s Chief Commissioning and Strategy Officer, Anna Hargrave, noted that part of the reason why there is an increase in people receiving support and treatment is that the service has “been able to identify and support people at a much earlier stage”.

The Annual Statistics for the National Gambling Support Network report covered the period of 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024 and showed the number of people who received treatment and support from the NGSN.

The report also provided insight into the characteristics of people who received treatment and support, the details of treatment outcomes, as well as the trends in treatment and support over the past nine years.

Commissioned by GambleAware, the NGSN offers free, confidential treatment and support services for gambling harm, working with the NHS and other third-sector organisations. 

Operating across England, Scotland and Wales, these treatments and interventions are tailored to an individual’s specific needs and are available to anyone experiencing gambling harm, including those affected by someone else’s gambling.

NGSN treatment and support is split into three tiers. Tier two is “initial early intervention and support for people worried about their gambling, which may involve speaking to a trained professional from one of the NGSN’s regional or national services who will give initial support and if treatment is required talk people through their options”.

Tier three includes “forms of treatment such as one-to-one support, group treatment, or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)”, while Tier four is described as “the most specialised and intensive level of care within the NGSN, where a person stays at a residential treatment centre”.

According to the annual statistics, a total of 10,754 people received either treatment or support from the NGSN. Of that figure, 7,463 received structured treatment such as CBT, one-to-one support or residential care. 

The latter figure represents a 12% increase in the number of people with gambling harm who received treatment from the previous year. However, the report noted that “approximately half of this increase is accounted for by the inclusion of an additional service provider – the Primary Care Gambling Service,” in the Data Reporting Framework.

“Not only have we reached more people, we have been able to identify and support people at a much earlier stage and that is part of the reason why we have seen an increase in people receiving treatment and support.”

GambleAware Chief Commissioning and Strategy Officer Anna Hargrave

The report stated that the overall number of people receiving treatment included “3,291 receiving Tier 2 treatment only, 6,931 receiving Tier 3 treatment and 532 receiving Tier 4 treatment. Among those receiving Tier 3 or 4 treatment, 3,048 clients also received Tier 2 treatment”.

Of the almost 7,500 people with gambling harm who received treatment, 6,225 were people who gambled while 1,214 people were impacted by someone else’s gambling or at risk of developing problematic gambling behaviour.

The report also said that the proportion of people seeking support due to another person’s gambling has “increased over time and was higher this year (15%) than the past five-year average of 13%”.

For the first time, the annual statistics included figures on the number of people who received early intervention for gambling harm. 3,291 people received early intervention and support to talk about their gambling, while 3,048 people received early intervention and then went on to receive treatment.

Hargrave commented: “In 2023, we launched new commissioning arrangements that expanded the NGSN’s scope to include prevention and early intervention, in addition to treatment. This means that our services are now working much more closely with local communities, reducing stigma and removing the barriers to accessing treatment.   

“Not only have we reached more people, we have been able to identify and support people at a much earlier stage and that is part of the reason why we have seen an increase in people receiving treatment and support. Our new commissioning arrangements also included the addition of the Primary Care Gambling Service who work closely with our third sector providers enabling us to support more people across the NGSN. 

“We look forward to the introduction of the statutory levy on gambling operators and the future gambling harms commissioning system, and we will continue to work in partnership with all those in the sector including the NHS.”

GambleAware noted that other key findings from the annual statistics report include that 95% of those who completed their treatment saw an improvement. Among those, the rate of problem gambling fell from 87% to 10% between initial assessment and completion of treatment.

The NGSN report also showed that 50% of people looking for treatment had their first appointment within six days of contacting the service, while 75% had their first appointment within 12 days.

Among those receiving treatment for their gambling, 66% reported being in debt due to gambling, 24% experienced a relationship loss and 11% experienced a job loss because of their gambling.  

Professor Dame Clare Gerada, Director of the National Primary Care Gambling Service, added: “We work closely with third-sector organisations and charities to care for patients and their affected others experiencing gambling-related harms. 

“Working as part of the National Gambling Support Network (NGSN), we share our clinical expertise and skills in gambling-related harm to those network members and learn from each other. This allows us to enhance the care all of us can provide to patients and ensures those experiencing gambling harm receive the most appropriate care and support when needed.”

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Matt Doocey, the Minister for Mental Health, published the comments on gambling harm prevention and minimisation in a statement on the government’s website, encouraging the public to voice their views so that the right initiatives and interventions can be put in place.

The government’s comments also come as Gambling Harm Awareness Week takes place in New Zealand this week. 

“While many New Zealanders enjoy gambling as a pastime without issue, the statistics are clear that harm from gambling can have a significant impact, therefore it is important that we put in place initiatives and interventions that prevent and minimise harm from gambling,” stated Doocey.

“I would encourage you to have your say on this consultation document by 6 October 2024 to help inform its development. In talking to people about mental health and addiction, I’ve become firmly of the view that the ideas we need to solve the issues we face are already in the community, so please make your voice heard.”

In particular, Doocey stated that the government is seeking the opinion of those who have lived experience of gambling harm to ensure they’re “actively involved” in prevention and minimisation steps.

He emphasised that their “perspectives will give a strong understanding of what works and what doesn’t at the community level”.

Doocey’s comments follow the July announcement by the New Zealand government’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Brooke van Velden, that the country has plans to regulate online casinos, with the new regulatory system “to be in place from early 2026”.

Van Velden said the government had introduced plans for online casinos to “ensure operators meet requirements for consumer protection and harm minimisation, as well as paying tax.”

Doocey continued: “The government’s mental health and addiction priorities are clearly reflected in the draft strategy to ensure a comprehensive gambling harm support system is in place.

“These priorities include, increase access to gambling harm support, grow the gambling harm workforce, strengthen the focus on the prevention of and early intervention in gambling harm and improve the effectiveness of gambling harm support.

“There is a wide programme of work underway across government departments and the broader gambling harm sector to prevent and minimise gambling harm. This includes the roll-out of services to support those at risk of gambling harm, research to understand the changing gambling landscape and work to regulate online casinos.”

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The goal of the project is to build on the previous findings from a scoping review published in July 2023 conducted on behalf of GambleAware by the National Centre for Social Research and the University of Plymouth titled ‘Frameworks and Measurement of Gambling Related Harm: A Scoping Study’.

The new research project will “address identified issues with the Problem Gambling Severity Index in the screening and assessment of harm” and “build on and adapt other frameworks that have been established in other jurisdictions and adjacent policy areas”.

GambleAware noted that the scoping study focused “on individual behaviour and overlooked a variety of socio-environmental factors which contribute to gambling-related harms, with methodologies often lacking robustness and failing to engage with people with lived experience”. 

The gambling charity added: “The reliance on the PGSI and similar measures may leave some communities, particularly those who are minoritised and bear disproportionate burdens of gambling harm, underserved by having their harms less accurately established. This programme of work will address these shortcomings.”

Granting £297,900 in funds over 18 months, the new research project will establish an ongoing framework and measurement tool of gambling harms, addressing existing conflating harms and behaviours, as well as avoiding using stigmatising labels and the discrimination this causes, particularly for marginalised or minoritised communities.

GambleAware clarified that any framework should be “appropriate for assessment and outcome measurement in both clinical and non-clinical contexts, as well as for increasing understanding of gambling harms amongst wider stakeholders”. 

Quantitative elements “to enable an assessment of the variation in total harms by population group, or by different economic contexts or policy regimes” must also be present within the framework. 

Any work undertaken for this framework should “be mindful of and complement” the survey questions on gambling-related harms and the negative impacts of gambling currently being collected via the UK Gambling Commission’s new Gambling Survey for Great Britain, in addition to regularly engaging with the UKGC during this programme. 

GambleAware expects the successful applicant/consortium to have a record of “undertaking research developing empirical tools, along with an understanding of how gambling harms are experienced and measured, with a specific focus on meaningful involvement of diverse communities and applicability to frontline practice”.

The gambling charity stated that it is therefore desirable that applicants know of psychological or psychometric scale validation and development.

Applicants are also expected to have a mixed-methods, multidisciplinary and multi-sector approach to achieve the research’s aims, as well as be from consortium and multidisciplinary teams – research agencies and/or academics and community organisations or practice bodies.  

The deadline for proposal submission is 5pm on March 8.

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The decision for this change was made by GamCare’s board in December last year. A strategic review will be undertaken by its leadership team to facilitate the change.

GamCare noted that the outcome of the review will be announced in due course.

Launched in 2019 and accredited by UKAS, the Safer Gambling Standard is an independent quality standard that evaluates measures by gambling companies to protect people from gambling-related harm.

GamCare also stated that the Safer Gambling Standard team is reviewing the “very serious recent development in relation to online gambling operator, Gamesys, to see whether there have been any breaches of the Safer Gambling Standard requirements”. 

Back in January, Gamesys was ordered to pay a £6m penalty by the UK Gambling Commission after an investigation discovered social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures had occurred between November 2021 and July 2022.

GamCare requires “all operators to provide accurate, up-to-date information, including of regulatory investigations, in line with the contract they sign”. 

The findings of that review will be published by GamCare over the coming month.

GamCare added: “Our core focus at GamCare will continue to be the provision of high-quality, accessible support to the thousands of people who come through our services each year, both those who are struggling with gambling directly as well as those who are affected by someone else’s gambling.

“All of GamCare’s work is focused on the reduction of gambling harms, as it has been for 26 years.”

Earlier this year, GamCare revealed that the National Gambling Helpline has taken more calls and online chats in 2023 than any other previous year.

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The study – ‘LGBTQ+ People and Gambling Harms: A Scoping Review’ – was commissioned to build an understanding of the lived experience of gambling harm amongst the LGBTQ+ community in Great Britain.

Researchers from the University of Brighton completed the study by analysing articles published between 2000 and 2023 on gambling harms in the LGBTQ+ community and its impact on people’s mental health, finances, relationships and employment. 

Evidence on experiences of LGBTQ+ people accessing support services for gambling harms was also examined, as well as any barriers faced in doing so.

The study noted that “gay and bisexual men and young lesbian and bisexual women may be at increased risk and may experience greater harms associated with gambling”. 

In addition, gay and bisexual men could be 3.4 times more likely than heterosexual men to suffer from gambling harms, while gay/lesbian and bisexual women could be 2.5 times more likely than heterosexual women to experience gambling harms. 

The study also discovered that transgender and non-binary youth were also more likely to experience gambling harms, with transgender women showing the highest risk.

A summary of the study noted: “Whilst research in this area is limited, there is some evidence to suggest that fears around disclosure of sexuality or transgender status, and anticipated stigma, may be a risk factor for gambling harm, where gambling offered a form of escapism.”

As a result of the findings being limited and mixed, GambleAware recently announced that it is looking to fund a research project to better understand gambling harms in the LGBTQ+ community.

The research will “explore the lived experience, drivers, and burden of gambling harms within the LGBTQ+ community”, with £297,900 being granted to the project over 18 months.

The charity is asking for research to provide new evidence on why the LGBTQ+ community is “disproportionately impacted by gambling harms, and what needs to be done to address their needs or prevent harm – including actionable and practical recommendations for policy, prevention programmes and treatment and support services”.

GambleAware has set a deadline for proposal submission of 5pm on February 12.

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The OHID commissioned the University of Sheffield and the University of Glasgow for the analysis – Gambling treatment need and support in England: main findings and methodology – to estimate the number of adults who gamble in England who might need treatment and what kind of support they would benefit from.

Estimates are “only for the support needs of people who gamble and do not consider the support needed for other people affected by their gambling”.

An adapted Delphi consensus survey was used to conduct the research in an online survey, collecting data between September 2022 and December 2022, from 22 professionals with gambling treatment and support services knowledge across NHS, charities and private providers.

Six forms of treatment options were presented: brief advice, extended brief interventions, psychosocial interventions, psychologist-led CBT, intensive residential treatment, and peer support.

Of the 1.6 million adults mentioned above, 970,000 may benefit from ‘level 2 intensity’ treatment, which involves two or three motivational interviewing sessions by gambling-specialist practitioners.

‘Level 4 intensity’ treatment could help 243,000, which involves eight to 14 sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy led by psychologists. 

Intensive treatment has been recommended for 40,000, which is a 12-week residential programme with one-to-one therapy and group sessions. However, this type of support is given on a case-by-case basis and takes a person’s circumstances into account.

Per region, London has the highest rate of adults who gamble and might require support of 3,835 per 100,000 population, an estimate of 266,707.

London was followed by the North West (3,782 – 219,210) and West Midlands (3,751 – 174,641). The South East had the lowest rate (3,223 – 233,185).

The OHID also estimates that the 1.6 million adults that might benefit from gambling treatment and support have a 95 per cent confidence interval of between 1,301,206 to 1,939,991.

The research also highlighted the number of children living in a household with an adult who gambles and might require treatment, which is estimated to be 912,805 children with a 95 per cent confidence interval level between 754,864 and 1,116,074.

Prevalence rate estimates were based on pooled data from 2015, 2016, and 2018 NHS England’s Health Survey for England.

A “multinomial logistic regression” was then applied “to estimate the probability of a survey respondent being classified as belonging to one of the five treatment types or a ‘no treatment’ option” based on personal factors such as age, sex, quintile of index of multiple deprivation and regional unemployment rate.

Researchers then obtained the estimated population for each treatment type by applying probabilities to the mid-year population estimates for 2020, provided by the Office for National Statistics for each upper-tier local authority using their unemployment rates.

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The committee wishes to follow a similar guidance to that of the South Australian Government’s gambling advertising Codes of Practice, which has a ban on gambling adverts on TV between the hours of 4pm and 7:30pm.

The report – Gambling and liquor regulation in Victoria: a follow up of three Auditor-General reports – is a culmination of over eight months by the PAEC reviewing three Auditor-General’s reports relating to the regulation of gambling and liquor, and reducing the harm caused by gambling.

“Our report’s 96 findings and 61 recommendations have been informed by 54 public submissions, three days of public hearings, a Geelong site visit and a youth roundtable,” commented Committee Chair Sarah Connolly.

The report cited a 2021 Australian Communications and Media Authority-commissioned study that found an “average of 948 gambling ads were broadcast daily on free-to-air TV and an average of 148 gambling ads were broadcast between 6.00pm–8.30pm every weeknight”.

In addition, the report stated that “between May 2022 and April 2023, more than one million gambling ads aired on free-to-air television and radio across Australia, the ‘clear majority’ being from online wagering companies”. 

Connolly noted: “More appropriate regulations and safeguards are needed to protect Victorians, especially our children and young people.”

A group of young people who shared their lived experiences with gambling and alcohol during an event at Parliament House in August were also present in Parliament for the tabling of the report earlier this week.

The report has also asked the government to consider reducing the total number of electronic gaming machines across the state and updating the gambling and alcohol-related harms education resources for students.

The PAEC has also recommended that any venue that wishes to increase the number of EGMs it has must prove that it will provide a “net economic and social benefit” to the community.

It has also been recommended that the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission establish a regular consultation with the local government regarding the current gambling regulations in the state and any measures that could be taken to reduce gambling harm.

The Victorian government has been asked to review daily, weekly and annual gambling loss limits as well, including examining frameworks present in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Tasmania.

The government is also being asked to work with the Coroners Court of Victoria to expand its data analysis of gambling-related suicides in Victoria, as well as explore if the Community Support Fund can provide greater support for programmes to prevent and reduce gambling harm.

In addition, the report is also asking the government to review what percentage of gaming revenue is redirected into the community and if there is a public benefit to redirecting the 8.33 per cent of gaming revenue of clubs with electronic gaming machine licences to a publicly-managed fund targeted towards reducing and preventing gambling harm.

The PAEC has also recommended that the VGCCC increase the number of ‘mystery shopper’ compliance exercises it conducts, as well as develop performance measures that show the impact of its harm minimisation legislative responsibilities.

The committee has also asked for gambling prevention and treatment programmes to be delivered by a health-based agency, as well as support the development of a gambling research plan to guide future funded research, address evidence gaps and improve treatment.

The report also calls for an update to the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation’s reducing gambling harm outcomes framework, for the government to advocate for comprehensive anonymised data from online gambling providers on product use by customers, and real-time anonymised data from online providers as a licensing condition.

The PAEC has also recommended the government consider how Gambling Codes of Conduct and minimisation ministerial directions can be designed to minimise gambling harm in young people, as well as an update to resources available, and for future licences to include gambling harm minimisation conditions.

The report is also asking the government to provide in-principle support for a national ombudsman for complaints against online gambling providers.

To read the full report from the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee, click here.

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In a move that aligns with GambleAware Week, which comes to an end on Sunday 22 October, this funding is said to represent the “next important step” in an ongoing “long-term commitment”.

It is hoped that this outlay will help to further tackle money laundering, implement gaming reform and reduce the harmful impacts of gambling across communities.

During September 2022, Star was deemed unsuitable to hold its casino licence within New South Wales after Adam Bell delivered a damning report following an extensive inquiry into the company.

Subsequently, a A$100 fine and various remediation orders were imposed on the group. This was followed some time later by similar action within the operator’s home state of Queensland.

As a result of this, the state government is redirecting this sum of money to fund various gambling harm minimisation initiatives during the course of the next five years.

This will initially see A$6.4m enhance self-exclusion and introduce third-party exclusions in pubs and clubs, in addition to A$3.4m going to a recently established panel to drive a cashless gaming trial. 

A A$10m figure will be attributed to the provision of GambleAware counselling and support services, while $21.7m for three years from 2024/25 is intended to fund other gambling harm minimisation initiatives and reforms, including those recommended by the independent panel.

“We know there are people out there experiencing gambling harm in our community, and we are concerned [about] the impact this has on individuals, their families and the broader community,” commented David Harris, Minister for Gaming and Racing.

“We are committed to increasing awareness of the risks of gambling, in all forms, and I can assure people there is a lot of help and support out there in NSW communities, that is freely available and accessible.

“This GambleAware Week we encourage everyone to talk with friends, family or colleagues if you are  worried about what gambling could be costing them.

“Our first budget delivers $100m in harm minimisation initiatives, including funding for the NSW Office of Responsible Gambling to provide support to people affected by gambling harm through these GambleAware services as well as working to prevent harm before it occurs by investing in education and awareness raising.”

The theme for this year’s GambleAware Week, which started yesterday (Monday 16 October), is ‘what’s gambling costing you?’ This is intended to encourage people to think beyond the monetary costs of gambling.

“Everyone has a role to play in keeping our community safe,” Harris added. “We encourage everyone to take part in GambleAware Week and show our combined commitment to preventing gambling harm.

“One of our key election commitments was to ban external gambling signage from venues, as we know that can be triggering for gamblers, and that ban is in place as of September 1 this year, with 99 per cent of venues compliant. It shows that when government, industry and community work together we can get positive results.”

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