What Is Gambling Harm?
Gambling harm is not only about addiction. It covers a wide range of negative effects, from small but regular overspending to serious financial, emotional and relationship problems. Harm can affect:
- Finances: debt, unpaid bills, borrowing or using savings
- Relationships: arguments, broken trust, conflict or isolation
- Health and wellbeing: stress, anxiety, low mood, poor sleep
- Work or study: lost time, poor concentration or performance
- Family and friends: the people close to someone who gambles often experience harm too
Harm can happen to anyone who gambles, whatever their income or background. You do not need to gamble every day, or lose large amounts, for gambling to be causing harm.
Why Pokies Carry Particular Risks
Pokies have several features that can make it easy to spend more than intended. GambleAware NSW highlights some of them:
- Fast, continuous play: spins take seconds, so a lot of money can be wagered in a short time.
- Near misses: outcomes that look close to a win can encourage people to keep playing.
- Losses disguised as wins: a payout smaller than your bet is celebrated with sounds and animations, even though you lost money.
- Lights, sounds and features: free spins, jackpots and animations are designed to hold attention.
Understanding how slot machines work and why pokies myths are misleading can help, but knowing how a game works does not make anyone immune to harm.
Warning Signs in Yourself
You may be experiencing gambling harm if you notice any of the following.
How You Gamble
- Spending more money or time gambling than you planned
- Needing to bet larger amounts to get the same excitement
- Chasing losses, or gambling to win back money
- Finding it hard to stop, cut down or stick to limits
- Thinking about gambling a lot when you are not doing it
- Gambling to escape stress, boredom, loneliness or difficult feelings
Your Money
- Borrowing money, using credit or selling belongings to gamble
- Missing bills or payments because of gambling
- Using money set aside for essentials or savings
- Feeling the need to hide transactions or statements
Your Feelings and Relationships
- Feeling guilty, anxious or ashamed about gambling
- Feeling restless or irritable when trying to cut back
- Lying to family or friends about how much you gamble
- Arguments with people close to you about gambling or money
- Gambling affecting your sleep, work or study
If one or more of these sound familiar, it is worth talking to someone. You do not have to wait until things feel serious.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Answering a few honest questions can help you see your gambling more clearly:
- Have I bet more than I could really afford to lose?
- Have I gone back another day to try to win back money I lost?
- Have I borrowed money or sold anything to get money to gamble?
- Has gambling caused me stress, anxiety or money problems?
- Have people close to me criticised my gambling or told me it is a problem?
- Have I felt guilty about the way I gamble?
Answering yes to any of these can be a sign of harm. Gambling Help Online offers a free online self-assessment, and its counsellors can talk through your results with you confidentially.
Warning Signs in Someone Else
It can be hard to tell when someone else is experiencing gambling harm, especially if they are hiding it. Signs can include:
- Unexplained absences or long periods of time that cannot be accounted for
- Money going missing, unexplained debts or unpaid bills
- Frequently borrowing money or asking for financial help
- Secrecy about money, phone use or where they have been
- Mood changes, irritability or withdrawal from family and friends
- Talking often about gambling, wins or "systems"
- Changes in work or study, such as lateness or poor performance
What You Can Do
If You Are Worried About Your Own Gambling
- Talk to someone. Call Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858 or use its online chat. It is free, confidential and available 24/7, and it can connect you with free face-to-face counselling in your state or territory.
- Put barriers in place. Self-exclude from online wagering through BetStop, ask about venue self-exclusion, set up gambling blocks with your bank and use blocking software.
- Get help with money. If gambling has caused money problems, the National Debt Helpline offers free financial counselling on 1800 007 007.
- Connect with others. Gamblers Anonymous Australia runs peer support meetings for people who want to stop gambling.
- Hand over control. Some people find it helps to let a trusted person manage their finances for a while.
Our guide on how to set gambling limits explains the practical tools in more detail.
If You Are Worried About Someone Else
- Choose the right moment. Talk calmly when they are not gambling and when you are not angry.
- Focus on how it affects you. Use "I" statements, such as "I'm worried about the money we've lost", rather than blaming.
- Listen. People often feel ashamed about gambling harm, and judgement can make them less likely to seek help.
- Avoid bailing them out. Paying off gambling debts can make the problem harder to address.
- Protect your own finances, for example with separate bank accounts.
- Look after yourself. Gambling Help Online supports family members and friends as well as people who gamble.
Where to Get Help in Australia
All of these services are free and confidential.
- Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858, 24/7, with online chat and email support. gamblinghelponline.org.au
- BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register: block yourself from all licensed Australian online and phone wagering providers. betstop.gov.au
- National Debt Helpline: free financial counselling on 1800 007 007. ndh.org.au
- Lifeline: crisis support on 13 11 14, 24/7. lifeline.org.au
- Gamblers Anonymous Australia: peer support meetings. gaaustralia.org.au
- Kids Helpline: support for young people, including those affected by a family member's gambling, on 1800 55 1800. kidshelpline.com.au
- Emergency: call 000 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.
Our Responsible Gambling page brings together these services and other self-help tools.