A powerful story in a safe space
May 5, 2026
A series of community events hosted by Anglicare provided a safe space for young people and their parents to learn about the harms caused by online gambling.
The free community events were held in Hobart, Devonport and Launceston last month over several evenings. They featured conversations between Hobart-based community advocate Mark Kempster, pictured above right with his friend, radio personality Andy “Tubes” Taylor.
The pair discussed Mark’s personal journey from addiction to recovery. Mark spoke about the normalisation of betting within sport and youth culture, and how quickly occasional betting can escalate into harmful behaviour.
“I placed my first sports bet at the age of 15,” Mark shared. “I was a sports-obsessed teenager; I thought betting was normal. By my thirties I’d lost $100,000 to gambling. It had a devastating impact on my mental health and nearly cost me my family.
I love the opportunity to talk directly with people about what I’ve learned from my experience. I know the warning signs that families often miss. I also know that with early intervention and support, recovery is possible.
State Manager for Anglicare’s community services, Marni Bos, said that while the audiences were small, Mark’s story clearly had a powerful impact on them.
“Our Gamblers Help team were heartened to see young people and their parents listening closely to Mark and then talking with him privately about their personal situations after the session had finished.
“They told us there was a need for more resources that are designed for young people and this is something we’d like to progress.”
Further reading and more information
Ahead of the community events, Anglicare urged the federal government to implement a total ban on gambling advertising. You can read our media release here.
Anglicare Tasmania’s Gamblers Help service can support families and individuals who are being harmed by online gambling. Phone us on 1800 243 232 for a confidential chat.
We’ve created a resource centre for parents, young people and educators on our website.
Mark Kempster is also an advocate for the Alliance for Gambling Reform.
