WA has less gambling harm than the rest of Australia. There’s one simple reason
Western Australians spend about the same as people in other states when it comes to gambling, but gambling problems in WA are much, much lower.
Western Australia experiences a lower rate of gambling harm compared to the rest of Australia, despite its residents gambling at similar rates. This disparity is primarily attributed to the restricted availability of pokies, also known as electronic gaming machines, outside of a single casino in Perth. Unlike other Australian states where pokies are prevalent in pubs and clubs, Western Australians have fewer opportunities to engage in this high-risk form of gambling.
The research concludes that while lotteries contribute significantly to overall gambling expenditure, they account for a smaller percentage of gambling problems compared to pokies. The lower accessibility of pokies in Western Australia has led to significantly reduced gambling harm in the region. The article suggests that reducing the number of pokies nationwide could be a potential solution to address gambling harm, but acknowledges that such a policy may be challenging due to the strong influence of the pokie lobby and the difficulty in implementing substantial reforms.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
