Gambling harm in the spotlight

Gambling harm is widespread in our State – and it’s showing no signs of reducing.

Tasmanians lost $16.74 million to poker machines in July 2024, according to figures from the Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission.

“Poker machines are concentrated in communities where there is socio-economic disadvantage,” said Mary Bennett, coordinator of Anglicare Tasmania’s Social Action and Research Centre. “Anglicare’s frontline services hear first-hand from Tasmanians who are finding life stressful due to cost of living pressures. It’s a daily struggle to put healthy food on the table, pay bills or buy clothes for growing children. This stress, combined with the ease of access to poker machines designed to be addictive, creates a perfect storm for gambling harm.”

Anglicare’s What’s the real cost?” report, released in 2022, highlighted the ripple effect of gambling harm on relationships, people’s physical and mental health and the wellbeing of communities. It revealed that around 57,000 Tasmanians are harmed by someone else’s gambling each year.

Reducing gambling harm for everyone

The introduction of a cashless poker machine card from December 2025 will be an effective harm reduction measure for Tasmanians who gamble and have benefits for the community as a whole.

“It will empower people who gamble on poker machines to decide in advance what they can afford to lose,” said Mary Bennett. “Money that would otherwise be spent on gambling can be re-directed to household essentials and goods and services in people’s local communities.”

“Reducing gambling harm is a matter of social justice and it also makes economic sense,” said Mary. “Evidence from overseas showed the introduction of a universal pre-commitment card had reduced harmful gambling expenditure, and there was no switch from poker machines to other forms of gambling.”

The benefits expected to flow to all Tasmanians are outlined in the Simple As report.

A report released this month by the Grattan Institute says the Tasmanian reforms will lead the nation. It describes mandatory pre-commitment as a ‘seatbelt for gamblers: it should hardly be felt when everything is going smoothly, but prevent serious harm when something goes wrong.’

Register to attend a free event in Moonah

Anglicare is hosting a free performance by Three Sides of the Coin from the Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC Vic) at the Moonah Arts Centre on Friday 20 September, as part of Gamble Aware Month.

Three Sides of the Coin theatrical storytellers are people who have experienced gambling harm. They creatively express their journeys into darkness and their process of healing and recovery.

The performance starts at 11am and it is followed by a discussion and a light lunch.

Follow this Eventbrite link to secure your spot.

Further information

Follow this page on Anglicare’s website during Gamble Aware Month for information on the range of resources that are available to support people who gamble and their loved ones. In the week commencing 16 September, the focus will on stories of recovery.

Anglicare runs the Gamblers Help service – call us on 1800 243 232 for FREE, confidential and expert advice on how to take back control of your gambling.