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“As the reels of the poker machine line up for a loss, what you will never see are the faces of the children, family and friends who are impacted.”
Those words were spoken by lived experience advocate Nelson Nghe at the recent Sydney Summit on Poker Machine Harm, organised by Inner West Council in partnership with Wesley Mission and NCOSS.
More than 150 people packed into Marrickville Town Hall to hear from leading experts, advocates and community voices calling for action to reduce gambling harm and protect our communities.
The panel discussion included Professor Sally Gainsbury, Director of the Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic at the University of Sydney, who served on the Independent Panel on Gambling Reform. She called for gambling to be discussed in a less-stigmatising way, so more people feel able to access help.
The latest data from Liquor & Gaming NSW shows people in this state lost $2.37 billion to poker machines in the first three months of this year, up 9.4 per cent in twelve months. That’s $26.4 million every day. Last year’s total reached almost $9.3 billion, more than $2,700 for every household in the state.
The losses are concentrated in areas of disadvantage. Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield and Cumberland alone lost more than $520 million between January and March.
“People most at risk of gambling harm are also likely to experience mental health issues and financial hardship.”
Across the NCOSS network, services are seeing an increase in people seeking help for gambling-related financial hardship. That’s what I told the summit.
The Australian National University’s latest national gambling survey found almost one in five adults gambled at risky levels in the past year, the highest in six years, even as fewer people gamble overall. Fewer people gambling, more of them are harmed.
And the consequences of gambling harm can be catastrophic, including job losses, bankruptcy, fraud, relationship breakdown, family violence and suicide.
“It doesn’t matter who you vote for, or what your political preferences are, the vast majority of people in New South Wales think this is a significant problem.”
Inner West Mayor, Darcy Byrne put the call out for bipartisan action to fight the gambling scourge on households. He’s also behind a push to cut the number of poker machines in NSW by half over the next ten years.
The timeframe also allows pubs and clubs time to transition to healthy business models that don’t rely on poker machine losses.
We should no longer accept record gambling losses as the price of keeping clubs and pubs profitable. These venues matter to their communities, as employers and as gathering places. Which is exactly why their future should not depend on their patrons’ losses, and why we must be focused on making the machines safer.
Premier Chris Minns has responded that Labor has “heard the message” and is working on a plan. What communities need now is a response, a timeline and the will to act. NCOSS stands ready to work with the government to deliver it.
If gambling is causing harm to you or someone you love, support is available from GambleAware on 1800 858 858 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.