Responsible gambling

Huxley Harris Updated: 2 May 2024

A responsible gambling strategy seeks to implement measures designed to reduce the harms and risks of gambling. But what do we consider to be healthy (or responsible) betting habits? It’s when you only bet money based on the limits of your finances. Perhaps more importantly, you play in casinos (whether online or in-person) purely for their entertainment value.

According to the latest numbers, Australian gamblers are losing a lot of money. And while things have been better since the start of the millennium, your average Australian is still losing more than anyone else in the world.

From 2018 to 2019, the Australian per capita loss was 1,277 AUD per year. This is higher than Singapore’s 1,111 AUD or Finland’s 515 AUD.

Is the gambling problem really that bad?

As mentioned, Australia already has the highest losses per capita. But to give you a clearer picture of what’s happening, let’s look at other relevant statistics.

According to the Australian Gambling Research Centre (AGRC) at the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) 2021 research, 35% of Australians aged 18 and above, or a total of 6.5 million people, participate in some form of gambling. And the total losses were 25 billion AUD in that year alone.

But where are Australians losing their money? Let’s take a closer look:

responsible gambling category info
Gambling category	Total amount lost	Per capita loss
Horse racing	3.5 billion AUD	179.10 AUD
Gaming machines	12.7 billion AUD	649.20 AUD
Sports betting	1 billion AUD	49.10 AUD
Other forms of gambling	7.8 billion AUD	1,276.80 AUD

Remember, this is just from sources that could be verified by the government. This means that if we account for the non-licensed gambling platforms, there’s a huge chance that the actual losses are much greater.

But apart from the monetary losses, other harms exist. For nearly 25% of problem gamblers, their relationships suffer as a result. Meanwhile, 20.6% have jeopardised their health due to their unhealthy habits.

From the same source, here are various pieces of information that will help give a clearer picture of what the gambling landscape in Australia is like:

Men aged 18 to 24 are more likely to fall into gambling problems. This poses a huge problem because, in single-income households, they’re more likely to be the breadwinner.

Australians generally gambled more during COVID-19 restrictions. It also entails the implications of isolation, especially for those who have already engaged in some form of gambling activity in the past.

Horse racing, keno, sports betting, and greyhound racing became more popular during COVID-19. These are types of betting that you can easily access online. This means that the focus of mitigation strategies should largely be online, as this is the more convenient mode of betting.

It’s obvious that the problem needs to be controlled before it gets even worse. Gambling addiction is a serious concern that affects not only the gambler but also their friends and families.

Government response to promote responsible gambling in the country

To mitigate gambling addiction within the nation, the government has legislated three changes. These were created specifically to promote responsible gambling and reduce its negative consequences:

Creation of the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering. This consists of ten measures and tools that licensed online gambling platforms in the country must meet to obtain licensing.
Interactive Gambling Act (IGA) of 2001 Amendment. The change was introduced so that the government could improve law enforcement and disruption of non-licensed gambling sites outside the country.
Widened the regulatory scope of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). With this change, they can now scrutinise online casinos abroad and block access to them from the country.

As a result of these changes, Australians now enjoy better protection from unsafe gambling practices through the following:

National Self-Exclusion Register. Approved in 2019, this register allows you to voluntarily waive your access to all licensed gambling platforms and services in the country by following a simple procedure. ACMA supervises all licensed bodies in the industry and ensures their compliance with the latest self-exclusion procedures and regulations.
Quicker Customer Verification. To remove the incentive for Australian gamblers to go to unlicensed alternatives, the government reduced the existing new customer verification period from 90 to 14 days. They’re working to push this further to just 72 hours.
Non-Australian Online Casinos Crackdown. A lot of offshore online casinos that target Australian players don’t comply with the standards in the country for licensing. With stronger enforcement of various government-created bodies, everyone is hopeful that the gambling problem will be easier to control.

Basic protocols and practices for responsible gambling

You are in charge, and you can keep your gambling activities fun-just the way they were meant to be! We hope that you use all the tools at your disposal to lower the risks of falling into gambling issues.

Here are some things that you can do to gamble responsibly:

Only bet what you can afford to lose. Never touch finances already allocated for your daily living, savings, or other financial responsibilities.
Keep your hobbies diverse, and pay attention to each of them, not just gambling.
Surround yourself with the company and support of family and friends.
Don’t borrow money for gambling.
Use credit cards as a last resort.
Hold off gambling activities when under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs or if you’re in an altered psychological state.
Don’t resort to gambling when dealing with psychological issues.
Set hard limits with gambling. This includes maximum win/loss, playing time limits, and deposit limits, so you still have full control over your betting activities.
Choose one online betting site and stick with it.
Take advantage of tools that are built-in to the website to help you manage your gambling experience.

If gambling problems are slowly creeping into your life, it’s always better to nip the issue in the bud. This will limit the damage to you and the people around you. Not sure if you’ve already crossed that line? See if you identify yourself in these behaviours:

Feeling “on edge” and is highly reactive when not using a gambling account
Going to lengths (like borrowing and stealing) to get money to gamble
Trying to quit gambling but being unable to do so
Thinking about gambling most of the day
Resorting to gambling when experiencing negative emotions
Gambling to make up for losses
Hiding gambling activities from friends and family
Making gambling the primary priority despite financial, familial, social, and other responsibilities.

All the casino sites that we feature here on Smart Pokies are dedicated to ensuring that gambling continues to be a fun experience for everyone. So, before you decide on a casino site, we strongly suggest finding out about the responsible gambling tools on offer, just in case you need them. The most common are deposit limits and self-exclusion. You may even choose to close your account permanently.

Organisational support for gambling Issues

Still, we strongly advise against relying on these tools to manage your gambling habits better. There are Australian organisations that are better equipped to give compulsive gamblers the help that they need:

GambleAware NSW – The goal of GambleAware is to eliminate all the harms that come with excessive gambling. They do this by providing information and support in various NSW communities. This initiative is funded by the Responsible Gambling Fund.
Gamblers Help Victoria – If you are based in the Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania, Northern Territory, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, or Western Australia, Gamblers Help Victoria is a great option that connects you to a support person through community organisations. They also have a wide range of services, including counselling, information, and advice through phone, the website, or face-to-face.
ACT Gambling Support Service (AGSS) – AGSS has qualified practitioners to help you overcome your gambling issues by providing information, setting pathways to healing, and sharing useful tips. They also have free financial counselling services as well as peer support.
Problem Gambling Help SA – A joint initiative started by the Adelaide Casino, Government of South Australia, Australian Hotels Association SA, and Clubs SA in 1994, the Gamblers Rehabilitation Fund (GRF) provides funding for various programmes and projects that support people with gambling problems. Such initiatives include the 24/7 toll-free line, education within communities, and further monitoring, evaluation, and research on existing and potential future initiatives. One of the current programmes that the fund maintains is the website.
Gambling Help Queensland – Gambling Help Queensland provides a full range of support services, depending on your level of comfort and convenience. This includes online chat, face-to-face consultations, and a 24/7 helpline. They also have a wealth of information and educational materials to help people better understand the potential pitfalls of gambling and how to avoid them.
Gambling Help WA – Through Centre Care, a non-profit Catholic organisation that provides assistance to various sectors of the community, Gambling Help WA provides various free services to help problem gamblers and affected loved ones through individual or couples counselling, group therapy, and consultations.
Amity Community Services – Founded in 1976 under a different name but with the same purpose, Amity Community Services focuses on harm reduction strategies and projects to help members of the community. All their programmes and services are backed by evidence, thus improving the odds of their overall effectiveness.
Anglicare Tasmania – Anglicare is a Christian organisation that promotes the teachings of Christ by creating opportunities for people in Tasmania to have a stable and fulfilling life. Among their many services is Gamblers Help.
BETSTOP - The National Self-Exclusion Register™. Block access to all phone and online gambling providers. It's as easy as creating a betting account.

Prevention is always more powerful than taking care of the aftermath of gambling addiction. So, even with the slightest sense that you’re dealing with a gambling issue, seek help ASAP. Gamble responsibly!