Australia Has A Gambling Problem

[Cecil Terwilliger]

The latest statistics, published this month, show that as a nation we bet $209 billion in 2016/17, an increase of 0.7 per cent over the previous year.

Quick google search shows Canadian gambling revenue is about $17 billion.

The data collected for the past 34 years and published annually by the Queensland Government Statistician's Office is considered the most comprehensive snapshot of gambling in Australia

It shows that, when averaged out across the entire adult population, Australians bet almost $11,000 per person, making us far and away the biggest betting nation on the planet.

We bet. But, more importantly, we lose.

In total Australians lost $23.7 billion on all forms of gambling in 2016-17 — pokies, lotteries, casinos, racing and sports betting. That's $1,251 for every man and woman over the age of 18.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-...bling/10396984

There was a controversy recently because the Sydney Opera House was going to have ads projected on the outside of the building for a horse race.



https://edition.cnn.com/2018/10/08/a...ntl/index.html

[Weitz]

Can people not choose to gamble with their money if they want to?

[PepsiFree]

People can do anything (legal) they want to, that doesn’t mean it can’t become problematic.

[Nsd1]

[bluejays]

Australia also pays a killing. I wonder if it's a social issue or it's just them not knowing what to do with their disposable income.

[nik-]

Do they? I've got a few Australian friends and in job and salary discussions they seem pretty on par with us.

[bizaro86]

I went to a casino in Australia once. Something like 98% of the patrons appeared to be of Chinese descent, while on the whole I found Australia less diverse than Canada. Are they attracting gambling tourist dollars disproportionate to the size of their economy?

[Party Elephant]

FireGilbert can elaborate on this, but I believe every Australian is required by law to place a bet on the Melbourne Cup.

[FireGilbert]

Well Cecil you have definitely picked a topic I am passionate about. The Opera House horse race fiasco has really made me realise how much of a gambling problem this country has and how much influence gambling has on the government.

When I first moved to Australia from Canada there was very little culture shock but I was amazed at the prevalence and social acceptance of gambling. There is not really such a thing as a sports bar here, instead you get pubs filled with poker machines and sports betting with a small area for food and drinks. Even horse racing is mainstream. Victoria gets a day off for the Melbourne Cup and it is pretty much a rule the rest of the country must stop work and put a bet on the race.

I have no problem with gambling and people can spend their money however they want but things have gone too far here as the stats show. People are spending a significant portion of their income on what is essentially an extra tax and wealth transfer to the rich. You can't go anywhere without passing somewhere to place a bet (there are 15 off track betting shops within 5km of my house) and television is filled with adds for betting especially during sporting events. This all completely overwhelms any information showing the risks and consequences of problem gambling which is usually just a quick "gamble responsibly" at the end of an add. Even a recent gambling awareness campaign was nothing more than one person handing out pamphlets at one mall in Western Sydney.

I am also becoming increasingly concerned over the influence on gambling on the government. A few years ago lock out laws were introduced in Sydney preventing bar entry after 1:30am and drinks after 3am under the guise of preventing drinking violence. Of course bars with gambling machines and the casino were exempt. This has resulted in devastating the local bar and music scene and turned a city with a vibrant 24-7 economy into a quiet boring city where the only thing to do late as night is place a bet. Combine this with the fact the new tallest building in the city will be a casino, the flip-flop on greyhound racing, and the premier overruling the Opera House to advertise a horse race barrier draw and something smells really fishy here.

I do not see an easy solution as an addiction to gambling revenue and influence from gambling interests has infected both major political parties. This cannot be sustainable and one day I hope the politicians can make the tough decisions to slowly wean themselves off the revenue and influence of gambling. There is plenty of room for gambling to continue being a part of the culture but this country needs to tone things down a bit.

[Rutuu]

+1 on how prevalent gambling is here compared to back home.

The one that gets me is the amounts guys bet. Also what they bet on. First try scorer? Give me a break.

I'll be throwing down $100 on the Melbourne Cup trifecta though, six horses each way.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by nik-

Do they? I've got a few Australian friends and in job and salary discussions they seem pretty on par with us.

Yeah salaries are close but they don't work as many hours for it, they also get great holiday time. For instance after your first year of service you're entitled to 4 weeks paid holiday plus 12 stat holidays. I'm not sure the scale but one of my in laws gets 10 weeks holidays plus the stats for being at the job 20+ years.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Yeah salaries are close but they don't work as many hours for it, they also get great holiday time. For instance after your first year of service you're entitled to 4 weeks paid holiday plus 12 stat holidays. I'm not sure the scale but one of my in laws gets 10 weeks holidays plus the stats for being at the job 20+ years.

Yeah, they get this too

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_service_leave

Bonus 6 week vacation on top of the regular after 7 years at a company.

[puffnstuff]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

There is plenty of room for gambling to continue being a part of the culture but this country needs to tone things down a bit.

Yeah, I bet they don't.

[Weitz]

Nm

[Red Slinger]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Yeah salaries are close but they don't work as many hours for it, they also get great holiday time. For instance after your first year of service you're entitled to 4 weeks paid holiday plus 12 stat holidays. I'm not sure the scale but one of my in laws gets 10 weeks holidays plus the stats for being at the job 20+ years.

They also have very high cost of living. Without looking into details I would guess that their disposable income is similar to that of Canada.

[GreenLantern2814]

$11,000 per person gambling. And I thought the sharks were the scariest thing about Australia.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Red Slinger

They also have very high cost of living. Without looking into details I would guess that their disposable income is similar to that of Canada.

At least they're well rested to spend it

According to numbeo Australia ranks 15th in the world for cost of living, I would give the 8.5% difference in a heart beat for the massive difference of holiday time.

[PepsiFree]

Regardless of the vacation time, I think the general point was that when you factor the average salary with cost of living against Canada, it’s not like gambling can be explained away by Australians having a boatload of disposable income they don’t know what to do with

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

I went to a casino in Australia once. Something like 98% of the patrons appeared to be of Chinese descent, while on the whole I found Australia less diverse than Canada. Are they attracting gambling tourist dollars disproportionate to the size of their economy?

The majority of patrons in casinos everywhere are Asian... Gambling is a hugely popular past time of Asians.

[CliffFletcher]

When I was backpacking around Europe with Australians, whenever we reached a sizeable new city out would come dress shoes and carefully folded white dress shirts, and the guys would be off to the local casino. Always struck me as weird that these backbackers who were staying in hostel dormitories and sleeping on overnight trains to save money would drop $100 on a night of blackjack in Innsbruck or Vienna. This explains it.