A new report finds gambling harm in Victoria has doubled to $14 billion over the last eight years.
The findings come from the Alliance for Gambling Reform and based the figures on the 2022–2023 financial year, an update from the previous report which covered 2014-2015.
For problem gamblers, pokies were the main offender, accounting for two-thirds of financial losses.
The Social Costs of Gambling to Victoria 2023 report also found that Victorian gamblers were facing $5.2 billion in financial impacts such as bankruptcy, $3.3 billion in costs of emotional and psychological harm, $2.5 billion in relationships and family costs and $1.5 billion in productivity loss, and the impact on work or study.
The Victorian and local governments were also facing costs to the tune of $1.3 billion.
While the report took inflation into account, the dramatically higher figures also reflect an increase in problem gamblers.
The report states that, aside from inflation, the higher cost mainly reflects an increase in spending by people at risk of harm compared to those who gamble without experiencing harm, and Alliance for Gambling Reform's CEO, Martin Thomas is now calling on politicians to step up their response to the crisis.
“These shocking figures demonstrate that then Premier Daniel Andrews understood the costs when he announced ‘landmark reforms’ in July 2023," said Thomas.
“Unfortunately, the current government seems to have taken more of an ‘underwhelming reforms’ approach, with many of the touted reforms being reconsidered, and initial timeframes being blown out by as much as 12 months.”
For support the Gambling Help Online can be reached on 1800 858 858 and National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.
