The NSW Government today released a major new study into gambling in NSW commissioned by the Responsible Gambling Fund.
The NSW Gambling Survey 2019 questioned 10,000 people on gambling in the past 12 months.
It found overall levels of gambling have fallen in the past eight years since a comparable study was done, in 2011. This time around 53 per cent of those surveyed had gambled in the past year, compared with 65 per cent previously.
The most common form of gambling was found to be lotteries, followed by gaming machines, instant scratchies and race betting.
The rate of problem gambling in the NSW community is reported to have “remained relatively stable”, the increase from 0.8 to one per cent of the population not considered statistically significant. It was also found to be most prevalent in the younger demographic; 14.9 per cent of 18-24-year-olds, compared with 7.2 per cent of gamblers overall.
There are also “particular risks” identified around online sports betting – the fastest-growing type of gambling, with eight per cent of participants reporting online betting in the past year.
The survey provides Government with a greater understanding of the gambling landscape, changes in behaviour, extent of problem gambling and how the different regions across the State are affected.
It will better inform prevention, education and treatment initiatives, and policy development.
In FY20 $35 million has been allocated to programs to prevent and minimise gambling harm, promote safe gambling environments, and support those impacted by problem gambling.
More information at the Office of Responsible Gambling.
