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Gambling in Australia: experiences, problems, research and policy
Author(s) -
Delfabbro Paul,
King Daniel
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.03802.x
Subject(s) - harm , government (linguistics) , public policy , liberalization , addiction , preference , harm reduction , state (computer science) , public health , public relations , public economics , political science , psychology , sociology , psychiatry , economic growth , medicine , social psychology , economics , nursing , law , linguistics , philosophy , algorithm , computer science , microeconomics
Aims The aim of this paper is to provide a critical overview of the development and current status of gambling in Australia. Methods The paper examines the history and current status of gambling in Australia with a particular focus on the prevalence of problem gambling in the community and developments in policy and treatment services. Results The paper highlights the contradictory role of State governments as both providers of treatment services as well as agents for the liberalization for gambling. It also shows how the notion of ‘addiction’ is conceptualized in Australian research and treatment services, including the preference for harm‐based and public health approaches. Such perspectives view problem gambling as having multiple pathways and determinants that extend beyond the pathology of individuals. Conclusions Gambling in Australia provides a curious paradox. Highly liberalized State government policies that allow the proliferation of high intensity gambling coexist with extensive policy, regulation and research designed to address the negative impact of gambling on the Australian community.