2019 ACT Gambling Prevalence Survey

The Australian National University (ANU) Centre for Gambling Research (CGR) was commissioned by the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Gambling and Racing Commission to conduct the 2019 ACT Gambling Survey. The overarching objective of the 2019 ACT Gambling Survey is to assist monitoring by the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission of the social and economic impacts of gambling in the ACT. The survey design allows comparison with data collected in the 2009 and 2014 ACT prevalence studies. It also allows new trends in gambling behaviour, such as online gambling, to be measured, and provides data on topics of particular current interest. The ANU CGR partnered with the Social Research Centre to conduct the survey. The Social Research Centre was responsible for data collection, using computer-assisted telephone interviewing. The ANU CGR analysed the data and drafted this report. The 2019 survey saw 10 000 ACT adult residents interviewed over a 6-week period (April–May 2019). Participants provided detailed information on their gambling participation, expenditure and gambling harm (including harm from significant others) during the past 12 months. Select groups of participants were asked about attitudes towards gambling, help-seeking behaviour, physical and mental wellbeing, financial hardship, and online expenditure. Overall, the report describes a community that is highly engaged in a diverse range of gambling activities. It also presents a picture of a community experiencing a substantial level of harm and negative impacts as a result (14% of ACT residents).