1. Understanding Gambling
(Insert business name) recognises that gambling is causing harm to many Victorians.
That is why see it as our duty of care to inform staff about:
- The risks associated with gambling.
- What (insert business name) is doing role model responsible practice and protect staff from gambling harm.

2. Gambling in Victoria
The Victorian Gambling Industry makes an annual profit of 5.4 billion dollars.
There are many ways to gamble in Victoria including:
Electronic gaming machines (i.e. ‘pokies’)
Casino games (i.e. table games such as Blackjack, Craps, Baccarat, Roulette)
Wagering (i.e. TAB where many people place bets for events such as Melbourne Cup Day or the Grand Final)
Online sports betting
Keno
Lotteries (owned by the ‘Tatts Group’)
Bingo
The most popular types of gambling for Victorians are lottery games and raffles, with over 40% of all people participating in this.

3. Pokies losses at a state and local level
In Victoria
$2.6 billion was lost to pokies between
In the City of Whittlesea
$103 million was lost to pokies between , that’s an annual loss of $700 per City of Whittlesea resident.
Victorians are losing the most money to electronic gaming machines or ‘pokies’.
In Victoria 2.6 billion dollars was lost to pokies in the financial year (an increase of 45 million dollars from the previous year).
In the City of Whittlesea, over 103 million was lost to pokies between That’s an annual loss of $700 per resident.

4. Pokies venue losses in the City of Whittlesea
Licensed EGM's
Venue Type
Expenditure
Bridge Inn Hotel 60
Hotel
$ 7,211,606.61
Bundoora Taverner
100
$ 17,167,997.99
Casa D’Abruzzo Club 75
Club
$ 6,712,666.26
Epping Hotel 40
$ 7,615,008.58
Epping Plaza Hotel
$ 21,108,174.18
Epping RSL 45
$ 4,156,093.48
Excelsior Hotel
105
$ 15,585,384.36
Lalor Bowling Club 36
$ 2,624,631.27
Plough Hotel
$ 18,193,081.30
Whittlesea Bowls Club 50
$ 3,024,537.67
Total:
711
10 EGM venues
$ 103,399,181.70
This table shows the amount of money lost to each pokies venue in the City of Whittlesea.
When compared to the rest of Victoria, the City of Whittlesea…
Experiences the 7th highest losses to pokies across the state.
Possesses 3 of the Victoria’s top ten highest loss venues (i.e. the Epping Plaza Hotel, the Plough Hotel and the Bundoora Taverna).
Is home to Victoria’s highest loss pokies venue, the Epping Plaza Hotel.
Source: ‘City of Whittlesea - Monthly Net EGM Expenditure’, Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (August 2016)

5. Gambling harm is widespread
Gambling harm affects 1 in 10 Victorians
Over 85% of people that experience harm from gambling are occasional gamblers, not people experiencing gambling addiction.
According to the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation:
Gambling harm is more common than we realise, affecting 1 in 10 Victorians.
Over 85% of people that experience harm from gambling are occasional gamblers, not people experiencing gambling addiction. This contradicts the common belief that gambling harm only effects a small sub-group of the population.
Source: Assessing gambling-related harm in Victoria: a public health perspective’, Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation (April 2016)

6. The different types of gambling harm
TYPE of harm:
Examples:
Financial harm
Debt, lost money from savings, diverted spending money from household expenditure, luxury items and holidays
Relationship problems
Dishonesty, less time with partner or family, neglect, conflict, less trust, breakdown
Emotional or psychological distress
Shame, reduced self-worth, guilt, regret, loss of reputation, insecurity, vulnerability, feeling out of control
Decreased health
Long hours of sitting, increased blood pressure, loss of sleep, increased drinking or smoking, increased experience of family violence, self-harm, other health problems
Cultural harm
Culturally based shame, reduced involvement in community/cultural practices, reduced community connection due to social exclusion because of gambling
Reduced performance at work or study
Tiredness, distraction, absenteeism, job loss, reduced participation in volunteering
Over participation in gambling can lead to harm, negatively impacting a person’s:
Finances (i.e. causing debt and diverted spending from household expenditure)
Relationships (i.e. causing relationship conflict and breakdown)
Psychological and emotional state (i.e. causing shame and regret)
Physical health (i.e. leading to increased drinking or smoking)
Community and cultural practices (i.e. causing culturally based shame and social exclusion)
Performance at work or study (i.e. causing tiredness and distraction)

7. We support workplace outings free from gambling
(Insert business name) is committed to de-normalising gambling through our workplace practice.
That is why we do not endorse visits to gambling venues for workplace outings of any sort, including:
Work meetings
Social club outings
Staff mid or end of year functions (e.g. Christmas parties).

8. Where to get help www.gamblershelpnnw.org.au 1300 133 445
People that live or work in the City of Whittlesea can access advice and support from Gamblers Help North and North Western.
Gamblers Help North and North Western offers a range of free and confidential services including:
- Counselling
Financial Counselling
Peer Support