The issue of problem gambling in the Australian state of Victoria has been overstated, Clubs Australia has claimed.
The organisation, which represents the interests of Australia’s 6,000 licensed clubs, said that the rate of problem gambling in Victoria is almost half the official rate relied on by the state government.
The last study into problem gambling, it said, was conducted in 2008 and found that 0.7 per cent of Victorian adults had a gambling problem. This rate was itself lower than the rate of 0.96 per cent recorded in 2003.
As part of a submission to the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission’s inquiry into problem gambling, Clubs Australia reviewed the rates for each state and territory and found that in Victoria, it now stands at 0.4 per cent. The organisation estimates the social cost of problem gambling to be between AU$46m and $89m – gambling taxes collected by the Victorian state government this year are expected to reach $1.8bn, meanwhile.
Clubs Australia executive director Anthony Ball said previous problem gambling studies have unintentionally overstated the number of problem gamblers in Victoria.
“It’s crucial that the Victorian government undertake further research to establish a more accurate reading of how many Victorians have a legitimate gambling problem,” he said. “Both industry and government want to further reduce the problem gambling rate. But it’s crucial that the information government is using is both up to date and accurate when they are assessing the social cost and benefits of gambling and, specifically, of poker machines.”
