Canberra, Sep 24 (IANS) Gambling participation and gambling harm among Australian adults are on the rise, according to a government survey released on Wednesday.
The nationally-representative survey, which was conducted by government agency the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) in 2024, found that 65.1 per cent of Australian adults gambled at least once in the preceding 12 months, up from 57 per cent in 2019, Xinhua news agency reported.
According to the AIFS report, 15 per cent of participants in the 2024 survey reported experiencing gambling-related harms in the past 12 months, including borrowing money or selling things to fund gambling, compared to 11 per cent in 2019.
It said that 31.9 per cent of Australian adults reported gambling at least once a month in 2024, with men more likely than women to do so.
The report classified 2.6 per cent of Australian adults as being at high risk of gambling harm. Among those considered high-risk, 68.1 per cent experienced cognitive, behavioural or mental health conditions, and 15.5 per cent experienced suicidal thoughts.
Australians aged 18-24 who reported gambling at least monthly were nearly twice as likely to be at high-risk of harm compared to older age groups.
A report released by the government statistician’s office in the state of Queensland in 2024 found that Australians lost a combined 32 billion Australian dollars (21.1 billion US dollars) on legal forms of gambling in 2022-23, representing the largest loss per capita of any country in the world.
Liz Neville, director of the AIFS, said on Wednesday that the survey’s findings show that current gambling harm reduction initiatives need to be examined and tested.
“Gambling is pervasive, and we need a more robust approach to helping families and communities, as well as the individuals themselves who are affected by their own gambling,” she said.
Lotteries were the most common form of gambling activity reported in the 2024 survey, followed by scratch tickets, slot machines, horse racing and sports events.
–IANS
int/akl/sd
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by BhaskarLive.in and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of BhaskarLive.in We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, BhaskarLive.in takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
For any legal details or query please visit original source link given with news or click on Go to Source.
Our translation service aims to offer the most accurate translation possible and we rarely experience any issues with news post. However, as the translation is carried out by third part tool there is a possibility for error to cause the occasional inaccuracy. We therefore require you to accept this disclaimer before confirming any translation news with us.
If you are not willing to accept this disclaimer then we recommend reading news post in its original language.