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Centre for Gambling Research, ANU
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On Monday 17 August 2015, the Committee heard from researchers from the Centre for Gambling Research, ANU in relation to the Centre’s submission to the inquiry. Discussion focused on research undertaken on problem gambling and the results of the Centre’s 2014 Survey on Gambling, Health and Wellbeing in the ACT. This study is referred to as the 2014 ACT Gambling Prevalence Study.
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The Committee was advised that the prevalence study involved randomly contacting over 7,000 people by telephone.389
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During discussion the Committee heard that ’19 per cent of EGM expenditure came from that half a per cent of the population who we think of as having gambling problems’ and that there has been ‘a decline in gambling prevalence and money spent on gambling across the whole territory.’390
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The Committee also heard that for most forms of gambling, men spent more money than women. Also, while there was not much difference across age groups in the amount spent on gambling, specific types of gambling activities have a different demographic pattern.391
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The Committee was also advised about the importance of education as a factor in problem gambling. With regard to poker machines, ‘you see a very clear gradient of amounts spent on poker machines by education—the lower the education, the more spent.’392
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In relation to online gambling, the Committee was advised that data for 2014 indicated that about eight per cent of the ACT adult population gambled online.393
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The researchers also told the Committee that people under-report their gambling expenditure and that the level of under reporting was ‘huge.’394
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With regard to help-seeking by those with gambling problems, the Committee was advised that ‘most people, even with severe problems, do not get professional help.’395 The Committee also heard that ‘about five per cent of people wanted help but did not actually get it.’ 396
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The stigma associated with gambling was also noted. The Committee was advised—‘There is a level of stigma attached to problem gambling which can even exceed very serious drug problems. People are more prepared to own up to things like heroin use than they are to having a gambling problem.’397
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The ANU researchers told the Committee that the survey undertaken was a prevalence study and that it had limitations. For example, while the study estimated that the level of problem gambling had declined between 2009 and 2014, information was not collected on the reasons for that decline.398 Longitudinal data in relation to survey participants was not collected.399
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During discussion, gaps in research on gambling and problem gambling were identified. The Director of the Centre for Gambling Research advised the Committee:
Nationally in Australia we have a shortage of good research on gambling. We have not had the same force from research which tells us not just half a per cent of the population and those sorts of figures, but the impact, the harms that arise from problem gambling. ... I think we are very light in terms of being able to say how big a problem this is.
...I do not think we quite know yet how to take that extra little step to say, “Who are the people most at risk now, where are they, how do we find them, can we tap them on the shoulder and offer them something?” I do not think we have got to that point yet. 400
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2014 ACT Gambling Prevalence Study—Preliminary Findings
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Additional information about the 2014 ACT Gambling Prevalence Study was provided to the Committee by the Minister for Racing and Gaming in a ‘Summary of Preliminary Findings’ in response to a question taken on notice. A copy of this document is included at Appendix C of this report.
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Although this was dated 13 August 2015 it was received by the Committee on 18 August 2015.
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The detail also appeared in The Canberra Times on 17 August 2015.
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Some of the main preliminary findings include—
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Participation in gambling activities has fallen over the last decade and total gambling expenditure fell from 2009 to 2014;401
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Between 2009 and 2014, the percentage of non gamblers increased from 30% to 45%;402
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In 2009, 30% of adults gambled on gaming machines at least once in the past year—in 2014, this was 20%;403
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In 2014, 0.4% of ACT adults were problem gamblers and 1.1% were moderate risk problem gamblers;404
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Compared to the rest of the population, problem gamblers are more likely to be male and less well educated;405
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In 2014, 8.4% of adults used the internet to gamble;406
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Less than 10 % of people ever having gambling problems had received professional help for gambling issues;407
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People with gambling problems typically do not seek help until the consequences of their gambling are serious—feeling suicidal was the most common predictor of help-seeking for gambling problems;408
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It was estimated that 1,110 ACT adults lost over $10,000 in gambling in the last year.409
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Supplementary information provided by the Centre for Gambling Research, ANU
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Researchers at the Centre for Gambling Research, ANU provided a supplementary submission to the inquiry. This submission included information about a number of key points which are reproduced in full below—
1. ‘Problem gambling is not a black and white phenomenon but reflects a continuum of harm.’410
2. ‘A substantial proportion of money lost on EGMs in the ACT comes from people with gambling problems.’411
3. ‘About half the money people with gambling problems lose is lost on EGMs. For non-problem gamblers, more than half of losses is on lottery.’412
4. ‘In the ACT, gambling using the internet is a supplementary means of gambling rather than an alternative form of gambling. The one exception to this is the purchase of lottery tickets.’413
5. ‘Money lost gambling over the internet goes on different activities to that lost gambling using other means.’414
6. ‘High rates of problem gambling are evident amongst people who gamble using the internet and who also gamble using other means. However, the majority of people with problems do not gamble on the internet at all.’415
7. ‘While 30% of money gambled over the internet comes from moderate risk/problem gamblers the majority of money lost by people with gambling problems is not lost using the internet.’416
8. ‘In the ACT, people aged under 60 years, males and people with higher education levels are more likely to use the internet to gamble. For sports and racing this is in addition to, rather than instead of, gambling via more traditional methods.’417
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The supplementary submission also presented information about future directions in responding to problem gambling, including research. According to the submission:
The 2014-15 ACT Prevalence Survey has provided the opportunity to recontact the majority of participants in the survey who gave their consent to be recontacted. This would be an extremely valuable exercise for a comparatively small cost which could yield much more detailed information on patterns of gambling for the group assessed as having gambling problems. Such information would indicate the next step in moving towards more accurate identification of problem gambling in venues.
...following up the sub-sample from the 2014-15 Prevalence Survey would provide valuable information on formal help-seeking and on informal support sought or received by people with problems. This presents a further opportunity to assess what other forms of intervention are seen as acceptable or desirable by this group.418
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The supplementary submission also recommended that a taskforce be established ‘to develop an action plan for problem gambling’ with an initial focus ‘to reduce the duration of gambling problems when they arise in individuals using targeted approaches.’419
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