Getting ahead of bad betting

Support groups uniting

GAMBLING support groups are working with family violence and addiction agencies to support at-risk clients before they become addicted to betting.

Bethany gambling therapeutic and children’s services manager Tracie McPherson said while Geelong gamblers were still losing $325,000 a day on pokie machines, gamblers were increasingly losing money through online betting and gaming apps.

Ms McPherson will speak at a Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation three-day gambling forum, held from today, focusing on Geelongspecific gambling issues.

Ms McPherson said people with gambling problems often experience other problems at the same time — known as cooccurring conditions — such as mental illnesses, substance use disorders, other health conditions, family issues and social problems.

“To combat this we are working with mental health and family violence services to ensure that people can be directed to the services they need,” she said.

Ms McPherson said Bethany also worked with Geelong venues to identify at-risk pokie users.

Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) statistics released late last month showed the City of Greater Geelong had lost the fourth-biggest amount of money to pokies in the last financial year, trailing only the City of Brimbank ($139.5 million), the City of Casey ($131.5 million) and the City of Greater Dandenong ($121.4 million).

“What we’ve got is in increase in accessing pokies — and the rise in financial loss year is surprising,” Ms McPherson said.

“To try and ease this we are continuing to provide a range of therapeutic support and venues support to try and identify anyone at risk of gambling.

“We are also continuing a focus on education and ensuring that we are really present at community events to ensure people have access to assessment and help.”

Alarming Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation figures show 80 per cent of young people aged 13-17 gamble, while teens are four times more likely to develop gambling problems than adults.

“We have an increase of young men between the ages of 18-30 presenting with gambling addiction,” Ms McPherson said. “What we’ve seen in terms in themes is an increase in sports betting.”

Victorian Responsible Gambling foundation chief executive Louise Glanville previously told the Geelong Advertiser that children were exposed to “an unprecedented level” of gambling.

“Of significant concern is Deakin University research that shows 75 per cent of kids who watch sport think that betting on it is normal,” Ms Glanville said.

The forum will run from August 13-15 in Geelong. To find out more, visit gamblingharmconference.com.au