Help for Allsorts

It’s not just straight people...

• Who go to the casino for the party scene.
• Who end up at gaming venues because they feel like there is nothing better to do.
• Who try to win back what they’ve lost.
• Who put off getting help because they feel embarrassed and don’t want others to know.
• Who lose their life savings.

What you’ve told us...

• Gaming venues are often seen as a safe place where people can be anonymous.
• Problem gambling is often a secondary issue to something else going on in a person’s life.
• Friends often identify issues in others. Positive peer pressure can be effective in persuading an individual to seek help.
• It’s common to feel reluctant to seek help from mainstream services. These services need to be sensitive to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (GLBTI) issues.

Gambler’s Help services

Gambler’s Help is a free and confidential mainstream service which takes pride in being welcoming and non-judgmental to GLBTI communities.

For immediate help call 1800 858 858 FREECALL now. Anybody affected by gambling (your own gambling or someone else's), can call this free Helpline, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Hearing impaired FREECALL 1800 777 706.

Or, visit Gambling Help Online at www.gamblinghelponline.org.au for live counselling, email support and self-help tools.

You can also make an appointment for a face-to-face meeting with a qualified problem gambling counsellor and/or financial counsellor. There are Gambler's Help services located throughout Victoria. This free service is also available for partners and family members. Call the helpline on 1800 858 858 to find out more.

Gambler's Help can also provide speakers and/or information for community groups and partnership projects.

Gay and Lesbian Switchboard

You can also call the Gay and Lesbian Switchboard for support:

Call (03) 9663 2939 in Melbourne or freecall 1800 184 527 from regional Victoria.

GLBTI brochure

The Problem Gambling can Harm Allsorts brochure was developed in collaboration with GLBTI Victorians in 2010 and updated in 2011.

Download the "Problem Gambling can Harm Allsorts" brochure (PDF 206KB)

Click here to order copies of the 'Allsorts' brochure

Warning signs

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, gambling could be causing you harm:

• Do you think about gambling everyday?
• Do you hide your gambling from people?
• Do you ever borrow money to gamble?
• Do you argue with your partner, family or friends over money or gambling?
• Do you often gamble longer than you had planned?
• Do you often gamble until your last dollar is gone?
• Do you let bills go unpaid because you’re using the money for gambling?
• Is your gambling affecting you at home or work?

5 things you should know about gambling...

1. The odds are stacked against you. Gambling is designed to make profit for ‘the house’. The longer you play, the more you will lose.
2. Alcohol and drugs can impair your judgment while gambling and lead you to spend more money than planned.
3. Gambling does not start out as a problem. Gambling can change and grow without people noticing how central it has become to their lives.
4. Anyone can develop a gambling problem. Research shows that regular gamblers are more likely to experience problems.
5. Problem gambling does not just affect the gambler. Supporting someone with gambling problems is difficult. You cannot force them to stop. You can encourage them to seek professional help.

The odds are against you…

For example, your chances of winning top prize at the pokies are generally less than 1 in 10,000,000.

You have more chance of being killed by lightning.

Although the odds will vary, remember all gambling is designed to make money for others.

Gambling is a form of entertainment that you pay for. It is not a good way to make money.

Putting on the brakes...

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, you can get FREE, confidential help, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Often the hardest part is taking that first step. The rest is easier than you might think:

• Ring the Gambler’s Helpline on 1800 858 858.
• Visit gamblinghelponline.org.au for self-help information, to live chat or email a counsellor.
• Make an appointment to see a counsellor.
• Ask about how you can arrange to exclude yourself from a gambling venue.

Find out more about Gambler's Help »
Take Control - Help Yourself »
Concerned about your gambling? Take this quiz to find out if it’s becoming a problem »
Contact details for Gambler's Help services throughout Victoria »

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