100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

Jane Stephens: after spending $32b on gambling in one year it's time to take a break

Do you have a news tip? Click here to send to our news team.

Tavern patron celebrates big Keno win

A Sunshine Coast man's pockets are jingling all the way after he won almost $240,000. The Buderim local was at The Creek Tavern at Mountain More

Little joy for residents in court quarry rulings

Opponents of a hinterland quarry have been left disappointed by a court decision more than two years in the making, while the operator says More

Buyers have 50 per cent fewer properties to choose from

Prospective property buyers on the Sunshine Coast have become “seagulls fighting over a chip”, with the number of listings half of what it used More

B2B: The new trend in investment borrowing

Self-managed super funds (SMSFs) are gaining traction in Australia as a popular vehicle for investment property acquisition, reflecting a broader shift in retirement planning More

Brazilian smokehouse opens amid plans to expand

The co-owner of a new smokehouse within the region’s main shopping centre is confident there is nothing else like it. Tiago Garcia said Brazzos, which More

Levy leads to conservation of 4235 hectares

Sunshine Coast Council has revealed that its environment levy has led to the preservation of 4235 hectares. Since the levy program was introduced in the More

Let’s bench the bet, just for a month: pokies, horses, footy, the Lott.

As a trial, let’s file what we fritter away and see how much money is saved.

It will be tough, with footy finals and broadcast ads shouting at us in every ad break to punt and play.

Because boy, do we like to do both.

We Aussies laugh off criticism of gambling.

We say it is cultural, that Australians have always had a predilection for a bet.

Can you rein in your betting? Picture: Shutterstock.

But frocking up and throwing money on a horse that you know nothing about, or going to dinner at a club and finding yourself throwing money down the throat of a machine that flashes and beeps is money for nothing – akin to throwing it in the bin.

A little zing of dopamine is delivered perhaps, but that is one costly little buzz.

The house always wins and we are world-class losers – losing more than any other nation, with critics blaming the lack of regulation.

The losses are growing year on year.

The Queensland Government Statistician’s Office data revealed this month Australians lost $32 billion in 2022/23: $23 billion from gaming (mostly poker machines, but casinos and lotteries too) and a further $9 billion from wagering – betting on sport and racing.

Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb.

The problem is, so much depends on parting people from their pennies.

Community groups receive donations raised by people’s losses through club funds.

There are the pretty maidens all in a row at the races that fund a whole industry.

TV stations and sporting codes currently depend on gambling ads to survive.

The latest numbers show Australians are now throwing more than $1500 per capita away on gambling.

Half a million Australians have asked their banks to temporarily ban them from having a punt.

Sports betting has become more widespread during the past couple of decades. Picture: Shutterstock.

It is no longer a naughty guilty pleasure: our gambling losses are causing social harm, but to turn the tide is something we are going to have to do ourselves.

Our economy is so dependent on it that the federal government has warned against a total ban because such a thing would cause media companies and community groups to fold.

While it takes baby steps, let’s sample walking away and keeping more dollars in our pockets.

Let’s decide not to be losers anymore.

Dr Jane Stephens is a UniSC journalism lecturer, media commentator and writer.

Subscribe to SCN’s free daily news email

Hidden
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
[scn_go_back_button] Return Home
Share