What is gambling harm?
Gambling harm describes any negative consequence or side effect that comes from gambling. It can range in severity from momentary feelings of guilt or regret right through to bankruptcy, broken relationships, mental ill-health or thoughts of suicide.
The most obvious type of gambling harm is financial, but there are many others. These include relationship difficulties, health problems, emotional or psychological distress, issues with work or study, cultural stresses and criminal activity.
Research shows that in Victoria1:
- Approximately 440,000 Victorians or 8.5% were classified as being at some risk of experiencing problem gambling2
- Self-reported satisfaction with life drops as risky gambling behaviour increases.
- Young people aged 18 to 24 are affected by gambling harm at a higher rate than those aged over 65 years.
Broader impacts of gambling harm
Gambling harm is associated with poor health and wellbeing, not only of individuals who gamble, but families, communities, and the broader population. Indeed, research shows that in Victoria over 5% of the Victorian adult population report being personally affected by someone else’s gambling3.
Gambling harm often co-occurs alongside other health-related issues, such as mental ill-health, misuse of alcohol and other drugs, family and relationship conflict or trauma.
For example, 39% of people in Victoria who experience a gambling problem have a diagnosed mental health condition, such as depression, anxiety, alcohol use disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder4.
Social costs of gambling
The social cost of gambling in Victoria in 2022–23 was conservatively estimated at $14.1 billion a year5:
- $5.2 billion: financial impacts, such as higher-than-average spending and bankruptcy
- $3.3 billion: emotional and psychological harm to a person who gambles, for example, depression, suicide attempts and fatalities
- $2.5 billion: relationships and family, for example, divorce or separation, violence and the impact of suicide on affected others
- $1.5 billion: productivity loss and work or study impacts, including impaired performance, job loss, absenteeism
- $1.3 billion: costs to the Victorian and local governments, including the health, mental health and human services systems, policy, regulation, and research costs
- $289.4 million: crime, including costs to corrections, court and police systems
- $3.2 million: costs to non-profit organisations.
Gambling harm prevention and response initiatives
The Gambling Harm Prevention and Response Unit was established at the Department of Health in 2024 following the Victorian Government’s landmark reforms to reduce gambling-related harm. The Unit continues the important work of the (former) Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation (VRGF).
This work supports communities to reduce the impact of gambling harm through a coordinated, primary, secondary and tertiary response to gambling harm that links with services for other co-occurring conditions, including mental health.
We fund and work closely with organisations across Victoria to provide free and confidential Gambler’s Help services to people experiencing harm from their own or someone else’s gambling.
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