Problem Gambling Victoria Statistics

Nowadays gambling has become even more popular than decades ago, owing to the development of Internet technologies. There are millions of gamblers all over the world. Most of the players, who parlay responsibly and don’t cross their safe bankroll limits, will have a great time.

Unfortunately for some people, it’s not just harmless entertainment. Sometimes it can lead to serious issues in different aspects of life. This might happen when a person starts experiencing addiction problems (a player is not capable of controlling his/her gambling behavior).

Doughney, James (2007) Lies, Damned Lies and 'Problem Gambling' Prevalence Rates: The Example of Victoria, Australia. Journal of Business Systems, Governance and Ethics, 2 (1). ISSN 1833-4318 Full text for this resource is not available from the Research Repository. Gambling in Australia is a significant economic activity. Expenditure on its many forms is sizeable and has undergone sustained periods of expansion. At the same time, the structure of the gambling industry has undergone substantial change, with the use of gaming facilities in local hotels and licensed clubs now representing one of the most predominant forms of gambling.

Problem Gambling Prevalence Rate

Some countries show a higher prevalence rate than others, and it may be explained by cultural, economic, political, and legal factors. We’ll provide thorough information about gambling addiction in different parts of the world, based on recent research from 2016.

Australia

According to the statistics on problem gambling among the population, Australia shows quite high numbers. Approximately 0.5-1% (figures vary in different states) of citizens suffer from this addiction. This is so due to the changes in the betting industry due to digital technologies.

More people can now access betting entertainment via different online services, therefore the cases of unhealthy gambling have increased greatly. Each year Australians spend almost $1.5 billion on online wagering. Moreover, due to the high rate of illegal (in AU) sites, people are losing up to $0.5 billion to overseas companies.

That’s why Australia does everything to prevent unauthorized companies from entering their inner gaming market. According to the Gambling act 2001, with the recent amendment (2016), it is prohibited for foreign casino operators to provide their service there unless they are not licensed in AU.
Such strict rules also serve for decreasing the rate of dangerous betting habits.

Canada

Interestingly, Canada is among the countries with the highest percentage of gambling addicted citizens. Imagine that ¼ of all CA residents (or their friends/relatives) have suffered from some sort of bad consequences (job loss, depression, marriage problems and etc.) owing to their dependence.

And more than 80% of respondents have participated in lotteries during the past year.
It is a serious problem that affects millions of Canadians, although only half of those surveyed agreed that gambling can be dangerous.

New Zealand

New Zealand has the least number of problem gamblers according to the study by Business and Economic Research. It states that only a few citizens are liable to excessive betting behavior. Most of the casino clients in NZ are well aware of possible hazards, and know when it’s better to stop playing.

Norway

Despite the fact that there is government regulation of gambling activities, which provides various measures to decrease addiction problems among citizens, Norway is far away from the minimum rate of dependent people. Approximately 0.7% (more than in Denmark and UK) of the population in this country is grappling with the problem.

UK

Addiction drains a lot of money (about 1.2 billion pounds per year in the UK). Therefore, the government should pay special attention to this issue. According to various scientific sources, the cost also comprises special institutions service (mental health clinics), homelessness and police involvement.

The percentage of people who suffer from the bad influences of gambling varies from 0.6 to 1.1% of the total adult population. Diverse age groups show different liabilities to betting activities, which results in such data as 0.7% (for 25-34-year-olds), and 0.8% (for 18-24-year-olds). Moreover, the research also shows that unemployed, homeless, and people of color tend to be in the risk zone more often than others.

USA

The USA is in the top list of countries, where a huge part of the population (2.6% or almost 10 million people) has an addiction problem because of gambling. These activities are represented in every state (even where they are restricted).

Of course, not all players have serious dependences, some just like to have some fun and feel a little risk, while others learn to gamble on a professional level, which helps to avoid big losses.

Problem Gambling Victoria Statistics Since

Unfortunately for other types of people, such an entertainment can lead to an illness, that should be treated (due to the high similarity with drug and alcohol addiction).
Overall, compulsive betting behavior costs about 6 billion dollars per year for U.S. economics.

Distribution of Problem Players

Problem players have a different prevalence and it depends greatly on age and gender. These points are well-documented in the following paragraphs.

By Age

People are divided into age groups such as:
• 16-24 year olds – who show the most susceptibility (1.4%)
• 25-34 – tend to gamble less than their younger and older mates (0.8%)
• 35-44 – are also at a higher risk (1.1%)
• 45-55 and older – only 0.3% or less.

By Gender

The sharpest contrast we see is in the statistics that differentiate people by gender:
• Men – 1.2%
• Women – 0.1%.

Statistics of Device Usage

To understand the subject better, we will also provide statistics, which shows what devices are used mostly by problem gamblers:
• Laptops – 55%
• PCs – 34%
• Mobile phones/tablets – 29%/21%
It’s interesting to note, that mobile phones are used more commonly by 18-44-year-olds, while PCs are more popular among older people.

2016 National Survey of Problem Gambling Services

Click HERE to download the complete survey.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report presents the only national compilation of comprehensive information gathered about problem gambling services in the United States. Unlike other mental health and addiction services, there is no federal agency designated to fund and guide programs and policies addressing problem gambling in the U.S. This void has created the need for non-governmental entities to gather national data to better inform individual state efforts and track national trends. In 2006, the Association of Problem Gambling Service Administrators (APGSA) began sponsoring national problem gambling service surveys. This report is the fifth in the series and the second to be co-sponsored by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). NCPG spearheads efforts to address problem gambling at the national level, while state level efforts are primarily delegated to NCPG state-based affiliate chapters (referred to in this report as “Affiliates”).

The 2016 Survey of Problem Gambling Services in the United States included two surveys: one designed to collect information on publicly funded problem gambling services from the 50 states and the District of Columbia and, the other to capture information on problem gambling services delivered by NCPG Affiliates.

This effort represents the most comprehensive collection of information on problem gambling services in the United States. Information was gathered about the services funded by state agencies with legislated or line-item budgets identified for use in addressing problem gambling, and about efforts of NCPG Affiliates. Problem gambling services provided directly by entities such as tribal governments or state lotteries, privately funded entities such as health insurers or casino companies, and community organizations such as Gamblers Anonymous, were not collected in this survey.

WHO ARE APGSA AND NCPG?

The Association of Problem Gambling Service Administrators (APGSA) is the national non-profit membership organization of state administrators of public funds for problem gambling services. APGSA was formed in 2000 to “support the development of services that will reduce the impact of problem gambling.”
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is a private non-profit organization founded in 1972 whose mission is to “lead state and national stakeholders in the development of comprehensive policy and programs for all those affected by problem gambling.” Both APGSA and NCPG offer state memberships and do not have a position for or against legalized gambling.

HIGHLIGHTS

The total number of states that reported publicly funded problem gambling services increased from 35 in 2006, to 37 in 2010, to 39 in 2013, to 40 in 2016.

SURVEY OBJECTIVES

The objectives were to collect multi-purpose data that can be used to:

• Assist federal and state governments in assessing the nature and extent of problem gambling treatment, prevention, and research services provided by state supported systems and systems funded by NCPG Affiliates.
• Analyze problem gambling service trends and conduct comparative analyses; generate a national directory of state agencies and NCPG Affiliates with problem gambling service oversight responsibilities.
• Explore for associations between state level variables of interest, including size and scope of gaming industry, estimated numbers of problem gamblers, numbers of persons enrolled into state support and NCPG Affiliate supported gambling treatment, problem gambling helpline call volume, and total funding investment into problem gambling services.

Problem Gambling Victoria Statistics 2020

FUNDING

The total amount of public funding allocated for problem gambling services in the U.S. increased 20%, from $60.6 million in 2013 to $73.0 million in 2016; on a state-by-state basis, the amounts ranged from $0 (ten states plus the District of Columbia did not provide any dedicated funding for problem gambling services) to $8.47 million in California.

For those 40 states that invest in problem gambling services, per capita allocations for problem gambling services ranged from $0.01 in South Carolina to $1.46 in Delaware. The average per capita allocation for problem gambling services in the 40 states with publicly funded services was 37 cents. When the 10 states without dedicated funding are included, the national average drops to 23 cents per capita.

The average per capita funding level across all states with public funding increased between 2013 and 2016 from 32 cents to 37 cents. Since the 2013 survey, 25 states increased funding levels, seven had no change in funding, and nine reported cuts in their problem gambling service funding, including one state, Arkansas, that eliminated all funding.

At the time this survey was conducted, there were 33 states with active NCPG Affiliate Chapters. Other states had problem gambling councils without official NCPG affiliation and from this group two were included in the Affiliate survey (New Hampshire and Texas). NCPG Affiliate budgets were dramatically smaller than the state agency budgets in most states—including three states where Affiliates had less than $100 in revenue in state fiscal year 2016. The mean NCPG State Affiliate per capita budget was 13 cents and the median was three cents.

Increased state problem gambling service funding levels were significantly associated with:

• Total spending on gambling within a state
• State revenue from gambling
• Number of types of legalized gambling
• The estimated number of adult problem gamblers within a state
• The number of problem gamblers treated

SERVICES

Across all states, there is a lack of uniformity regarding what types of problem gambling services are funded. Among those states that fund problem gambling services, the most commonly supported services provided by state agencies and NCPG Affiliates were, respectively, problem gambling awareness programs, counselor training, helplines, and problem gambling treatment.

AWARENESS: Thirty-six public agencies and 33 NCPG Affiliates reported providing public awareness services. The most common methods of public awareness among state agencies were via website (38 states), printed material (33 states) and informational sessions (32 states). The most common public awareness efforts from Affiliates were informational sessions (27 states) and via social media (26 states).

In the U.S., substance use disorders are about 3.8 times more common than gambling disorders, while public funding for substance abuse treatment is about 334 times greater than public funding for all problem gambling services ($24.4 billion versus $73.0 million, respectively).

TREATMENT: In 2016, about one quarter of one percent of people (14,375) who needed gambling disorder treatment received publicly funded care from a gambling treatment specialist. These figures are revealing when compared to substance use treatment statistics that find 10.8 percent of people aged 12 or older (2.3 million people) who needed substance use treatment received treatment at a specialty facility in 2015. The average cost of problem gambling treatment, per client treatment episode, was $1,333 in 2016; by comparison, in 2006 the average cost of substance abuse treatment per client treatment episode was $1,583 (Etner et al., 2006), a figure that has likely risen. The only variable that was significantly associated with increases in gambling treatment utilization was higher spending on problem gambling services.

HELPLINE: The survey identified 30 organizations that operate problem gambling helpline numbers and/or call centers. It is common for more than one gambling helpline number to be marketed in the same state. “Calls for help”, defined as the number of problem gambling helpline callers requesting information about problem gambling including help resources, were significantly associated with higher levels of:

• Total spending on gambling within a state
• State revenue from gambling
• Number of types of legalized gambling
• The estimated number of adult problem gamblers within a state
• The number of problem gamblers treated.

PREVENTION: This is the first year in which prevention activities have been specifically surveyed. Twenty three state agencies and 16 Affiliates reported providing prevention services. The most commonly reported prevention activities, shared by both state agencies and NCPG Affiliates, were problem identification and referral (21 state agencies and 15 Affiliates), coalition building (17 state agencies and 14 Affiliates), and policy change efforts (14 state agencies and 13 Affiliates).

RESEARCH & EVALUATION: Results of each of the past four National Problem Gambling Services Surveys indicate that spending on research and evaluation systems has been very low. In 2016, APGSA Survey respondents reported an average of 1.8% of their budgets was spent on “research” (defined as prevalence studies, risk behavior surveys, issue research), and an average of 1.7% was spent on program evaluation.

STRENGTHS & NEEDS: When asked to rate a list of 10 possible strengths of their state’s problem gambling system, the collaborative relationship between the state agency administering problem gambling programs with the state Affiliate had the highest average rating, followed by having protected funds for problem gambling services. When asked to rate a list of needs, the highest average rating was for improved integration of problem gambling into behavioral health services, followed by national guidance on best practices to address daily fantasy sports and other forms of internet-based gambling. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of state agency key informants rated the need for increased funding as “very needed” or “critically needed,” compared to 83% of Affiliate key informants. The gaps in prevention services most listed by states, both by state agencies and NCPG affiliates, were 1) funding, 2) community readiness (low awareness of problem), and 3) staffing and coordination.

Only 17 states funded one or more full-time state employee positions dedicated to administering problem gambling programs.

DISCUSSION

Gambling is one of the few activities that the United States federal government has largely left alone from a regulatory standpoint, as gambling regulation has for the most part been left up to state and local governments. Correspondingly, the U.S. federal government does not provide states with funds to address problem gambling and disallows states from funding problem gambling treatment with the federal funds invested in substance use disorder treatment ($14.7 billion in 2016). The result is poor funding for problem gambling services and a patchwork of gambling-related policies and programs across the United States.

In many states, efforts to garner support for gambling expansion have resulted in language to address problem gambling within legislative measures, which typically offer to dedicate a portion of gambling revenues, taxes, or fees to fund problem gambling service efforts. Less commonly, political controversy over legalized gambling and public concerns have motivated state agencies and/or state legislatures to use non-gambling related funds to support problem gambling services. Some states, such as Alaska, Hawaii and Utah, offer few, if any, legalized gambling opportunities and therefore seem less motivated to develop specialty services and programs to address problem gambling.

Results from this survey found a positive correlation between the number of dollars gambled within a state, the amount of state revenue derived from gambling, and the level of funding for problem gambling services. However, on a state by state basis the relationships between these variables was not always present. This survey found the amount of dedicated funding for problem gambling programs in 2016 varied greatly, including 10 states that did not provide any dedicated funding. The consequence of disparate funding levels for problem gambling services across states is that there are extremely uneven levels of services for individuals with gambling problems across the country.

In states that do not fund specialized gambling treatment services, key informants stated that individuals with a gambling disorder who did not have coverage through private insurance were either referred to community supports like Gamblers Anonymous, or served within their publicly funded mental health and addictions treatment systems. Because few problem gamblers present for treatment, most mental health and addiction profession generalists have little to no experience working with problem gamblers. Conversely, most states with line-itemed problem gambling budgets have invested in training a workforce and developing an infrastructure to treat problem gamblers and implement problem gambling prevention and awareness programs. Thus, problem gamblers living in states without dedicated funds to address problem gambling are less likely to obtain the help they need to produce good outcomes.

Problem Gambling Victoria Statistics 2019

Findings from this survey support the need to develop federal funding and guidelines that can fill gaps in America’s safety net for problem gamblers and begin to address health service disparities for preventing and treating problem gambling.