Gambling problems account for half of ACT losses

A disproportionately large amount of gambling revenue in the ACT is derived from people who report problem gambling. People with gambling problems account for almost half of gambling losses in the ACT, new analysis of gambling trends has found. Research by the ANU Centre for Gambling Research found while only 5.7 per cent of the population has some degree of problem gambling, they accounted for 44 per cent of gambling revenue in the ACT in 2014. The research, led by Dr Tanya Davidson, analysed data from a 2014 survey on gambling, health and wellbeing and compared it with data collected in 2009 to draw up a profile of ACT gamblers and gambling trends. "A disproportionately large amount of gambling revenue in the ACT is derived from people who report problem gambling," Dr Davidson said. "People with some degree of gambling problems account for just under half of all gambling losses. More than one dollar in every five, or $60 million, came from the 1.5 per cent of ACT adults with the most serious degree of problem gambling." Gambling expenditure fell substantially from $288 million to $230 million between the 2009 and the 2014 studies.