Gambling prevalence, harm rising among adults: Australian govt report

Canberra, Sep 24 (IANS) Gambling participation and gambling harm among Australian adults are on the rise, according to a government survey released on Wednesday.

The nationally-representative survey, which was conducted by government agency the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) in 2024, found that 65.1 per cent of Australian adults gambled at least once in the preceding 12 months, up from 57 per cent in 2019, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the AIFS report, 15 per cent of participants in the 2024 survey reported experiencing gambling-related harms in the past 12 months, including borrowing money or selling things to fund gambling, compared to 11 per cent in 2019.

It said that 31.9 per cent of Australian adults reported gambling at least once a month in 2024, with men more likely than women to do so.

The report classified 2.6 per cent of Australian adults as being at high risk of gambling harm. Among those considered high-risk, 68.1 per cent experienced cognitive, behavioural or mental health conditions, and 15.5 per cent experienced suicidal thoughts.

Australians aged 18-24 who reported gambling at least monthly were nearly twice as likely to be at high-risk of harm compared to older age groups.

A report released by the government statistician's office in the state of Queensland in 2024 found that Australians lost a combined 32 billion Australian dollars (21.1 billion US dollars) on legal forms of gambling in 2022-23, representing the largest loss per capita of any country in the world.

Liz Neville, director of the AIFS, said on Wednesday that the survey's findings show that current gambling harm reduction initiatives need to be examined and tested.

"Gambling is pervasive, and we need a more robust approach to helping families and communities, as well as the individuals themselves who are affected by their own gambling," she said.

Lotteries were the most common form of gambling activity reported in the 2024 survey, followed by scratch tickets, slot machines, horse racing and sports events.

--IANS

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