Helping the Sydney community with relationships, parenting, ageing, disability, pastoral services and mental wellbeing.
In this 30 minute discussion we talk to experts in the field of gambling behaviour, Dr Christopher Hunt - Clinical Psychologist, Gambling Treatment Clinic at the University of Sydney, and Eva Lavie - Practice Manager, Addictions Counselling at CatholicCare Sydney. Dr Hunt and Eva provide valuable insights into the issues of problem gambling, highlight the various types of support that are available to both those who are experiencing problem gambling and their families, and discuss the new stepped care treatment model designed to meet and treat individuals at their specific level of need.
"Roughly 1-2% of the Australian population has a gambling problem and a further 2-3% are gambling in a way that puts them at risk of developing a gambling problem. So we’re talking about several hundred thousand people with a gambling problem in this country and up to a million people who are at risk of developing a gambling problem." Dr Christopher Hunt
Eva highlighted the groups in our community who are most susceptible to problem gambling behaviours.
“Research shows those who are economically disadvantaged are unfortunately more likely to experience gambling harm. There has also been a link between gambling harm and domestic violence as well as correlating gambling harm with mental health and drug health conditions.
“Some cultures such as Vietnamese, Arabic and Chinese speaking communities are more represented when considering gambling harm particularly in certain areas such as in South-West Sydney,” Eva Lavie
Watch the recording below to learn more about the issue of problem gambling and how organisations such as University of Sydney and CatholicCare Sydney are working to assist those affected.
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