by Dr Cher McGillivray
Children and young adults are becoming the new norm as gambling addicts who are routinely exposed to unprecedented levels of gambling product advertising.
It’s so entrenched in our Australian psyche that roughly 73 percent of Australians spend money on one or more gambling products every year, and we lose the most on gambling per capita in the world – more than $25 billion annually.
Once the domain of men, gambling, and particularly sports gambling, is “a growing worldwide threat,” according to a new report from international medical journal The Lancet.
The Lancet Public Health Commission said “gambling poses a threat to public health, the control of which requires a substantial expansion and tightening of gambling industry regulation.”
It called for a response at intergovernmental, national, and regional government levels.
Recently our own Australian Government looked at, but then shied away from, banning online gambling ads at various sporting venues and certain media.
The rising toll of Australia’s gambling addicts, mostly young men from 25-40 and individuals living in certain communities, continues to grow.
It’s so entrenched in our Australian psyche that roughly 73 per cent of Australians spend money on one or more gambling products each year, and we lose the most on gambling per capita in the world – more than $25 billion.
It’s those partial rewards that make our brains think we’re on the way to success, we’re pursuing more and more pleasure, and we’ve got more and more of a chance to win.
There’s also the optimism bias. Most of us think good things are going to happen to us.
That can be dangerous because we over-estimate the likelihood of those positive outcomes or wins.
Gambling has been ingrained in our Australian culture as an accepted social activity, right from early school days and the ubiquitous Melbourne Cup sweep.
Who can remember being ushered in front of the school’s TV to watch the big race?
However, with the growing concerns about the harms associated with gambling, even with our casinos and pokies, we’re actually seeing there is a need to take a deliberate approach to educate and regulate to effectively address the gambling-related harms.
Then there are the apps which become second nature to anyone on a phone.
It’s increasingly easy for people to make gambling a habit, a potentially bad habit, when they have it at their fingertips 24/7 through an app.
You can beat this addiction with strength, discipline and support, and by consciously abstaining from activities that give you that sugar hit.
Understanding the role of dopamine is important for all of us, particularly if you’re trying to wean off gambling.
Along the way, you will need to make space for those uncomfortable emotions that you must face – past trauma, possible job loss, relationship breakdown – and do something about them.
Instead of having a bet, reach out and connect with loved ones.
This will help you engage in activities that actually bring you joy and are connecting you with the dopamine hit in a good and positive way.
We can get that from positive relationships, from real connection with others.
Now there’s something you can bet on.
- Dr Cher McGillivray is an Assistant Professor at Bond University. She is a registered clinical psychologist, researcher, speaker, writer, and media commentator on children, families and community wellbeing.