THE GAMBLING IN AUSTRALIA

The Gambling in Australia

The Gambling in Australia

Overview

The gambling industry is big business in Australia, with Australians losing $15 billion on gambling last year. The industry has grown substantially in the last twenty years following the widespread introduction and legalisation of casinos and gaming machines. The proportion of household disposable income directed towards gambling has escalated, as has the amount of taxation revenue provided to governments from gambling. A number of parallels have been drawn between gambling and alcohol as both are legal for adults, heavily marketed, strongly regulated, provide substantial tax revenue, can be viewed as entertainment, and are deemed a matter of personal responsibility.

Last section of the article highlights the social aspects of gambling. It explores the reason people gamble, the attitude of the community, and the phenomenon of problem gambling.

Harm minimization measures are outlined including responsible gambling, statewide caps, the community development and support expenditure scheme, the casino community benefit fund, treatment services and exclusion schemes.

INTRODUCTION

The gambling industry is big business in Australia, with Australians losing $15 billion on gambling last year.1 The industry has grown substantially in the last twenty years following the widespread introduction and legalisation of casinos and gaming machines. The proportion of household disposable income directed towards gambling has escalated, as has the amount of taxation revenue provided to governments from gambling. A number of parallels have been drawn between gambling and alcohol as both are legal for adults, heavily marketed, strongly regulated, provide substantial tax revenue, can be viewed as entertainment, and are deemed a matter of personal responsibility.

The growth in gambling is not without its controversies. Whilst the debate has shifted from discussion of the religious morality of gambling, the community has repeatedly voiced concern over the unchecked expansion of an industry that can provide entertainment for many whilst devastating others. Concern has also been expressed over the role of governments and the integrity of their motives in regulating the industry whilst drawing enormous profit from it. Fears still exist over the link between gambling and crime, and whilst gambling can provide many economic and social benefits, it has been questioned as to whether these benefits could be better achieved in some other way.

This paper explores the concerns surrounding the role of gambling in the Australian community. It examines the extent to which gambling is an established part of industry at both the state and federal level and the manner in which gambling is regulated by various Australian governments. It provides analysis of both the positive and negative economic and social impacts of gambling in Australia.

Gambling

Gambling is the act of staking money on uncertain events driven by chance.3 It can be subdivided into two groups: wagering (racing and sports) and gaming (casinos, gaming machines, keno and lotteries). Gambling is distinct from other risky activities, such as stock exchange trading, in two ways.4 The first is that it can be classified as a form of entertainment. Secondly, gamblers, as a group, necessarily lose money over ...