Australia's Gambling Industries - Productivity Commission

have a higher rate of suicides, for example. The NORC study (appendix K) in the
US found that pathological gamblers reported poor or fair health at a much higher
rate than would be expected for their population group without problem gambling.
Similar information has not been available from the Commission’s surveys, and as a
consequence, the impact on the physical health of problem gamblers has not been
estimated.
How many gamblers report personal and family costs?
The Commission’s surveys have provided a range of information indicating the
number of people reporting adverse personal and family impacts from their
gambling activities (chapter 7). Some of the key impacts for which the Commission
has made cost estimates are presented in table J.4 below.
Table J.4
Estimated number of adults suffering adverse personal and
family impacts from their gambling activities
Problem In the last 12 months Ever
Break up of a relationship 39 200 59 500
Divorce and separation 3 200 na
Violence na 13.1% of agency clients
Depression 205 900 289 900
sometimes to always 142 400 na
often to always 70 500 na
Thoughts of suicide 12 900 35 500
Attempted suicide na 13.6% of agency clients
Moderate adverse effect on partner a na 20.1% of agency clients
Major adverse effect on partner a na 54.4% of agency clients
Moderate adverse effect on children a na 18.8% of agency clients
Major adverse effect on children a na 27.6% of agency clients
Moderate adverse effect on parents a na 23.7% of agency clients
Major adverse effect on parents a na 24.1% of agency clients
a Excluding those who answered ‘not applicable’.
Source: Chapter 7.
While there are some direct financial costs that can be measured, such as the cost of
separation or divorce, most of the cost can be seen as falling into the category ‘pain
and suffering’. This is much harder to put a dollar figure against.
How can we measure ‘pain and suffering’?
There are a range of compensation arrangements in the various States and
Territories for the victims of crime. Victims compensation legislation in a number of
MEASURING COSTS J.23