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A "lax approach" has made Australians the biggest gambling losers in the world, according to a damning report that slams Australia for letting the industry "run wild".
The Average Australian adult gambles away $1635 per year, according to a new report from the Grattan Institute think tank.
That's more than most households pay for power and it far exceeds the average spend in similar countries like the US and New Zealand.
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Collectively, Australians lost $24 billion to gambling in 2020-21.
Half of that amount – $12 billion – was flushed through poker machines.
The rest was lost on sports or race betting, in casinos, and on lotteries and Keno.
The report claims that across Australia, pokies are more common than post boxes and public toilets.
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People in the Northern Territory and NSW lost the most and those are the two jurisdictions with the highest concentration of pokies.
"Gambling products are designed to be addictive, and the consequences can be catastrophic: job loss, bankruptcy, relationship breakdown, family violence, even suicide," the report's authors wrote.
The report recommended the federal government ban all gambling advertisements and urged them to cut the number of pokies in each state over time.
They also floated the idea of a mandatory pre-commitment system for online gambling and pokies, which would put a limit on daily losses.
There are many different ways to get help and information about gambling. Call the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858; use online counselling; find information about help services in your state or territory; get information and support for family and friends; get information about how to talk with someone about their gambling; or contact Gamblers Anonymous.
All services are free, confidential and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
