Latest Gambling Survey Provides New Insights on Participation and Risk

The 2024 Survey (here) provides a comprehensive overview of gambling behaviours, participation rates and associated harms within NSW.  The survey was last conducted in 2019.

The Survey, conducted by Central Queensland University, involves 10,000 NSW adult participants [AT1] (with a subsample of 4374 participants gambling within the prior 12 months), and builds upon surveys conducted in 2019, 2011 and 2006, offering insights into current gambling patterns and how they have evolved. 

Key Findings:

• Stable Gambling Participation Rate: 53.5 per cent of adults reported gambling activity in the past 12 months, relatively stable since 2019 but reducing significantly since 2006 (69 per cent).
• Gaming Machine Participation Declined: Over the past five years, participation in other forms of gambling grew, with online sports betting increasing 50 per cent. Electronic Gaming Machine (EGM) participation declined from 15.7 per cent to 14.3 per cent.
• Gambling Prevalence Rate: High-risk gambling in the adult population is 0.9 per cent, moderate risk is 3.1 per cent, and low-risk is 6.7 per cent. The scale of common harms reported is less severe than in 2019. For example, 7.1 per cent of gamblers said gambling reduced their savings, while only 0.2 per cent reported bankruptcy.
• High-Risk Groups: Young men, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, single individuals and those without tertiary education are at higher risk of harm.
• Multiple Forms of Gambling and Associated Risks: People who engage in moderate to high-risk gambling often participate in multiple types of gambling. Caution is needed when attributing problems to any single form.
• Online Gambling Risks: Online forms of gambling significantly increased the risk of moderate to high-risk gambling compared to venue/land-based gambling (9.2 per cent vs 2.1 per cent).
• Gambling Harm: 14.5 per cent of gamblers and 7.8 per cent of all NSW residents reported experiencing at least one gambling-related harm in the past year.
• EGM Venue Preference: Clubs (47.4 per cent) and pubs/hotels (48.7 per cent) are equally preferred for EGM participation, over casinos (3.9 per cent). Clubs are preferred by fewer problem gamblers (3.7 per cent) compared to pubs (6.2 per cent) and casinos (6 per cent), showing effective harm minimisation measures implemented by clubs.
• Common Harms: Financial and emotional impacts are the most common harms experienced by gamblers.
• Help-Seeking: Only 13.5 per cent of moderate to high-risk gamblers seek help.
• Community Perception: Most NSW residents (79.7 per cent) believe gambling has done more harm than good, despite 78.1 per cent agreeing it is the individual's responsibility to manage their gambling.

Potential Policy Implications

The 2019, 2011 and 2006 surveys were previously used as an evidence base to inform government policy on:

• EGMs and Gambling Harm: Understanding the role of EGMs in contributing to gambling harm.
• High-Risk Groups: Identifying high-risk demographic groups to design focused prevention and treatment programs.
• Online Gambling Growth: Addressing the rapid growth of online gambling, especially sports betting, with stringent regulations.
• Help-Seeking Behaviour: Highlighting the need for increased awareness and accessibility of support services due to low help-seeking rates among those experiencing gambling harm.

Further Insights

• Influence of External Factors: There are a number of new influences on perceived gambling harm in this survey included as excluded factors such as the impact on others, legacy harms and other reduced savings or health-related quality of life.
• Updated Regulations:  New gaming laws have come into effect since the last survey, including reducing the maximum cash input into an EGM from $5000 to $500 and requiring Responsible Gambling Officers.
• Cashless Trials: In March 2024, the NSW Government started a trial using digital player cards or apps at EGMs to curb money laundering and gambling harm. This trial coincided with the survey's fieldwork and may have influenced participants' perceptions and self-reporting.
• Attribution Bias: Attribution to EGMs may be biased due to the use of physical cash that is easier to recall in self-reported surveys compared to online gambling.

ClubsNSW continues to engage with the NSW Government to ensure the Survey insights are accurately portrayed and advocate for a holistic, phased and evidence-based approach to gambling reform, supported by detailed job and industry impact modelling.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact ClubASSIST on 1300 730 001 or [email protected].