It’s time to consider where your dollars are going as GambleAware Week rolls around - Oct 17-23 - to encourage people across NSW to reflect on how gambling affects themselves, their family, and friends. 

With gambling being the most accessible it’s ever been, reducing the problematic rates that plague the state is no easy feat.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), Australians lost approximately $25 billion on legal forms of gambling in 2018-19.

The figure has found Australia holding the largest per capita losses in the world. 

As cost of living pressures grow and only set to climb with flooding across the east coast of Australia, this GambleAware Week’s theme is ‘What’s gambling costing you?’

Minister for Hospitality and Racing Kevin Anderson said that the impacts of gambling are seemingly endless, from health, to work and relationships. 

“These are often hidden costs which can slowly creep up on gamblers before they find they’re in serious trouble,” Mr Anderson said. 

“Most people can gamble without experiencing any harm but for a small minority it can become a huge problem impacting multiple areas of their lives,” he said. 

A beacon of hope is that while gambling remains problematic for the country, a 2019 government survey found that fewer people are gambling, with several forms of gambling such as keno and scratchies on the decline. 

A lot of gamblers, however, have turned to easier forms of gambling, largely using mobile phones, where it can be done from anywhere at any time. 

The number of people betting on sports online grew by 35 per cent to 70 per cent from 2011 to 2019. 

As sports betting issues grow with online betting applications, sporting clubs, teams and organisations are making a better effort to oppose the potentially harmful practice. 

This month, Cricket NSW and several A-League football clubs joined the NSW Government Reclaim the Game initiative, challenging the idea that betting is a normal part of sport. 

Cricket NSW’s two-year extension will see the rejection of sports betting advertising at home games of the men’s and women’s Big Bash teams, the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder and also their state teams NSW Blues and NSW Breakers. 

Cricket NSW CEO Lee Germon said the partnership extension would allow Cricket NSW to continue to make important inroads in helping to prevent - and reduce - the harm gambling can cause individuals, families, and society.

“Cricket NSW will continue to do all we can to counter the constant sports betting advertising and the adverse effect it has on young people – young men, in particular – and their families,” Mr Germon said.

The GambleAware phoneline 1800 858 858 is open 24 hours a day for anyone needing support. It is free and confidential.