Our year in review

It’s very satisfying to look back across 2023 and see the breadth of work Foundation staff and partners have delivered to prevent and reduce gambling harm in Victoria – and hopefully, Australia.

Our Discussion paper: Gambling harm and the online gambling environment was an influential resource for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Inquiry into online gambling and its impacts on those experiencing gambling harm. The paper brought together Foundation-funded and other publicly available research and supported stakeholders to make their own submissions and appearances before the inquiry. It also underpinned many of the recommendations in You Win Some, You Lose More, the inquiry’s final report.

The paper brought together Foundation-funded and other publicly available research …

The tragic passing of the inquiry’s chairperson, Peta Murphy MP, on 4 December was acknowledged by many across the gambling harm prevention sector. Ms Murphy’s report championed a public health approach to gambling harm, including reforms to online gambling and sports betting advertising regulations. We hope the federal government responds positively to the recommendations as a testament to her passion and commitment to the prevention of gambling harm in Australian communities.

We also published the Outcomes Framework Baseline Report. This was the culmination of extensive work to establish a baseline against which the progress of future gambling harm prevention and reduction initiatives in Victoria can be measured.

A review of the Gambler’s Help service system involved substantial research and consultation, including a service mapping exercise and design workshops with experts, funded service providers, people with lived experience and other stakeholders.

a framework … to support a cohesive, evidence-based approach to prevention programs and projects. 

Alongside this, in collaboration with La Trobe University, we developed a prevention programming framework – the first of its kind in the field of gambling harm – to support a cohesive, evidence-based approach to prevention programs and projects.

We welcomed two new members to our Lived Experience Advisory Committee and continued to integrate the Committee’s insights into the development of programs and services, and communication activities, including Gambling Harm Awareness Week.

In keeping with our work to positively influence community attitudes and behaviours, we released a new campaign to highlight that people who gamble once a week or more are more likely to experience issues with their gambling or are at high risk of developing an issue.

About 663,000 Victorians engaged with information and resources on our websites in 2022–23. More detailed analysis of our digital marketing activity showed that it led to a 38 per cent increase in the number of people who visited the Gambler’s Help site to learn about gambling and then, via remarketing, returned to the ‘Get help and support’ section. This indicates a positive behavioural change from pre-contemplation/contemplation to the action stage.

This indicates a positive behavioural change …

Fresh evidence is in on the impact of the Love the Game Sporting Club Program, with the La Trobe University final evaluation finding that almost half of fans who were aware of the campaign reported taking positive action, such as starting a conversation with their kids about the risks associated with gambling.

We released The Bridge, a new program for upper primary school students that aims to give them an awareness of, and the tools to manage, the risks of online gaming that will also help protect them when they encounter gambling.

… almost half of fans who were aware of the campaign reported taking positive action …

We also finalised a new guide on gambling and financial literacy for First Nations communities based on collaboration with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in Victoria. The project was part of a prevention grant and undertaken by the First Nations Foundation and CQUniversity’s Professor Nerilee Hing.

The Foundation remains committed to delivering on our purpose to prevent and reduce gambling harm for all Victorians and continues to operate as business as usual ahead of the transition of our functions to other government agencies by 30 June 2024. We will share more information on this process as it unfolds.

Thank you for your support and all the best for the summer holiday season.