Study: Problem Gamblers use gambling to escape

New research by colleague, Kim Karathansis of Gambler's Help West Hume provides further evidence that problem gamblers use gambling as a form of escape, in particular from uncontrollable life events.

The research also found that females are more likely to report stressful life events, often the reasoning behind their problem gambling behaviour.

The findings are also consistent with research conducted within Australia and abroad, and the findings of previous studies of Gambler's Help clients which have shown that more than 90% of female clients who report poker machines as their problematic gambling form claim they gamble as a form of escape.

So if this is proven again and again, why isn't something done about it. We, at Gambler's Help try through community education, and encouraging and campaigning for harm minimisation and consumer protection measures. However governments shouldn't need any more proof that something needs to be done, as it is evident that gambling is a magnet for the vulnerable and just sends them into a spiral of further problems.

How many times do we need to prove that gambling is harmful before something is done?

GG