You’ve been asked to manage someone’s money: Now what?

If a friend has reached out to ask you to help them manage their money, you may be confused about why and don’t quite know what to do. Asking a trusted friend or family member for help to handle money is a common strategy that many people use to stop or reduce their gambling. It’s …

What is Return to Player?

If you are a regular pokies player, you’ve probably heard of something called the 'Return to Player Percentage'. It is something often talked about but not always well understood. It is important to clarify what Return to Player Percentage is, as misunderstandings can lead to problem gambling. By law, every poker machine in Australia must …

We need to change the way we talk about gambling

Have you listened in to someone at a gambling venue playing the pokies? There are similar statements that seem to arise regardless of which venue you are at: “I’m up”. “I’m having a good run”. “I’m on a winning streak”. “The machines are hot today”. “I have won $200”. The problem with these statements is that …

Youth Gambling

Did anyone watch Insight on SBS last week? There was a vigorous and informative discussion on youth gambling (Insight - Youth Gambling). Gambling is a popular pastime in Australia and Australian youth are no exception with a participation rate of 70-80%. However one in every twenty young Australians will experience problems with gambling before they …

The Glamour of the Gamble

Picture it. A beautiful woman in a long evening dress, hair and make-up immaculate. A dashing gentleman in a 3-piece suit, cigar in one hand, martini in the other. The rich, vibrant atmosphere of the casino, the very essence of the building feels rich and luxurious. The world almost seems like a fantasy… and that’s …

Playing the pokies – a bit of fun or causing you problems?

pWhile many people start playing the pokies for a bit of fun, some people start to see an increase in their spending as time goes on. The question is, when does it go from a bit of fun to being a problem? There are a number of things people can look at to understand if …

Building your quit gambling muscles

Having ‘stuffed up’ doesn’t mean you give up... At gambling help we often get stories from people who have been doing well controlling their gambling, perhaps not gambling for a few weeks, and then being devastated by a fall into old patterns – angry they’ve “stuffed up again”. While disappointing at the time, relapses are common and …

The Hokey Pokie machine

Before we put our left (or right) hand into our pockets, get out our wallet and shake it all about, let’s be clear about one thing, pokie machines are not designed to help players make money. Yes, you might sometimes have a win, but if you keep playing, you’ll most likely lose all the money …

Recovering from a Gambling Relapse

Revisiting your game plan after a relapse, giving gambling the boot and getting back where you want to be You’ve probably seen the ads on TV talking about quitting smoking. The one that shows the bloke has given up four times, each time he was able to be free of cigarettes a little longer, and …

Managing Gambling Worry

Are you constantly thinking about gambling? The difference between thinking about things you really like and thinking about something you used to like, say your gambling, is that it is likely that your gambling thoughts are now unpleasant and make you feel bad. Heavy and even moderate gamblers sometimes worry about their losses, think about …