If you’re worried about how gambling makes you feel, there is free and confidential advice, tools and support, through GambleAwareĬontact the National Gambling Helpline, available 24/7, on 0808 8020 133.If you’re going to play the best online pokies in Australia, make sure you get what you came for. I discovered that by keeping quiet, it helps no one, and when you start to talk about it, people start to understand you”. She told us: 'People think you can ‘just stop’, but you can’t… it’s so easy to be dismissed, and I didn’t want anyone to think bad of me. She later turned to online gambling - and even left her wedding early so she could bet on her phone. Specifically, over seven in ten (71%) respondents said they believe instant win games are very or fairly addictive, followed by 64% for scratch cards and 62% for casino games.Įlissa Hubbard, who has lived experience of gambling harms said: “Every day was full of anxiety – trying to keep my gambling a secret, whilst finding opportunities to do it more.'Įlissa told us how she first gambled at the age of nine, and continued into her 20s, by visiting bookmakers. The campaign launch comes as research also suggests that most of the public believe certain gambling products, such as instant win games, are addictive, indicating how gambling harm can affect anyone and the importance of building empathy for those experiencing harm. 'Anyone can be impacted by gambling harms, but the first step is to open up and have that first conversation, ideally as early as possible.” New digital forms of gambling It is therefore critical that people impacted are aware of the wide range of support services available, and that they feel safe to come forward. 'As a hidden addiction, gambling harms can be incredibly hard to spot from the outside. The research - from GambleAware - has led to calls for those who may be experiencing gambling harms to ‘open-up about gambling’.Ĭhief Executive Zoë Osmond said: “It’s alarming to see the number of people who are struggling in isolation.

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