As part of our community attitudes survey, we asked Victorians about their experience of harm from gambling.

Among those surveyed were respondents with a family member or close friend who was, or might be, experiencing harm from gambling.

Just under half of Victorians surveyed (44 per cent) indicated that they had a family member or close friend who gambled regularly. Many of these respondents mentioned that their family member or friend was worried about finances (50 per cent) or had increased disagreements with partners or families (39 per cent).

More than a quarter (28 per cent) reported personally experiencing harm as a result of a friend or family member’s gambling. The most common harms experienced were:

• regularly feeling worried or stressed (14 per cent)
• worrying about finances (14 per cent)
• increased disagreements with my partner or family (11 per cent)
• difficulty sleeping (9 per cent).

Almost half (49 per cent) of respondents with a family member or close friend who might be experiencing harm reported having taken action in response. The most common actions were talking to the person about their gambling (33 per cent) or talking to someone about their concerns for the person gambling (24 per cent).

We asked people about negative effects from their own gambling. In 2023, 56 per cent of people who had gambled indicated they had experienced at least one form of harm. The five most common types of harm were:

• difficulty sleeping (41 per cent)
• regularly feeling worried or stressed (28 per cent)
• worrying about finances (27 per cent)
• trouble concentrating (18 per cent)
• feeling worthless (11 per cent).

Fifteen per cent of respondents who gambled regularly agreed they find it difficult to talk to their family or close friends about their gambling.

Survey participants indicated they would support a family member or a friend experiencing gambling harm and would continue to encourage them to seek professional support:

• 92 per cent of respondents agreed they would suggest a friend or family member seek professional support if having a problem with gambling.
• 91 per cent of respondents agreed that they would encourage a friend or family member to be open about their problem with gambling and listen.

However, the answers from respondents with a family member or close friend experiencing gambling harm suggest that, in practice, people may be less likely to take action to support them.

Forty-nine per cent of respondents with a family member or close friend who was, or might be, experiencing harm from gambling had taken action to help during the past year. The most common actions were: talking to their friend or family member about their gambling (33 per cent) or talking to others (24 per cent). Around one in ten (9 per cent) sought professional help for themselves or their friend or family member.

Find out more about what Victorians think about stigma from gambling harm.