What is gambling harm
Gambling harm happens when gambling starts to negatively affect any part of your life. This might include your finances, mental health, physical wellbeing, relationships, job, or study. Gambling harm can build slowly over time or hit suddenly in moments of crisis.
Factsheet: Gambling Harm in NSW (NSW Gambling Survey 2024)
When we think about gambling harm, money troubles or strained relationships often come to mind. But the impacts can go much deeper. Gambling can affect your emotional wellbeing, health, work, study, and connection to family or culture.
- Financial issues are often the first and most visible sign of gambling harm, including unpaid debts, lost savings, or cutting back on essentials.
- Gambling can damage relationships by breaking trust, causing conflict, and reducing time spent with loved ones.
- Mental health problems such as anxiety and depression are closely linked to gambling harm, often causing feelings of distress, guilt, or shame.
- Gambling-related stress can negatively affect physical health and self-care.
- Gambling may impact cultural roles, values, and connection to community or spiritual life.
- Gambling can interfere with performance at work, school, or training.
These harms can be temporary or long-lasting—and they often persist even after gambling stops. Recognising them is the first step to change.
Where gambling harm starts
What can trigger gambling harm?
- A big win early on, which creates a strong connection between gambling and success
- Personal stress such as anxiety, relationship conflict, or workplace pressure
- Debt or financial strain
- Grieving a personal loss
What increases the risk over time?
Some people are more vulnerable to gambling harm due to long-term factors like:
- Growing up in a household where gambling was common
- Mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression
- Using gambling to escape rather than solve problems
- Not understanding that gambling outcomes are random
- Struggles with alcohol or other drugs
Who is less likely to experience gambling harm?
People with protective factors in their life are generally less at risk. These may include:
- Financial stability
- Strong, supportive relationships
- Future goals and a sense of purpose
- Stable work or education
- Getting help to deal with problems rather than avoiding them
- Understanding how gambling odds work
The ability to set and stick to limits
How often you gamble matters
Research shows that the more often you gamble, the more likely you are to experience harm. Your risk increases depending on why you gamble and what types of gambling you choose.
- Don’t gamble? Your risk is very low.
- Gamble occasionally? The risk is small, but still there.
Learn more with our online course
Understanding gambling harm is a practical, self-paced course that helps you recognise, prevent, and reduce the risks of gambling harm. You’ll learn how gambling can affect individuals, families, and communities, how to spot the signs and risk factors, and discover strategies to minimise harm and support recovery.
Find out more and enrol now
