Australia's Gambling Industries - Productivity Commission

Characteristics of gambling clients
Overall, gambling clients are more likely to be male than female (table L.10), and
the majority are of anglo-celtic origin (table L.11). Electronic gaming machines
were the primary source of gambling problems (table L.12) and more than half of
problem gambling clients initiated their own counselling or were referred by family
or friends (table L.13). Others referring problem gamblers to counselling agencies
included general practitioners, corrective services, probation officers and the courts.
Table L.10
Gender of gambling clients a
per cent
NSW Vic Qld WA SA Other b Average
Metropolitan
male 65 50 48 70 42 59 54
female 35 50 52 30 58 41 46
Non-Metropolitan
male 53 39 55 58 41 52 48
female 47 61 45 42 59 48 52
Total
male 62 47 50 70 42 58 52
female 38 53 50 30 58 42 48
a Weighted by the number of clients counselled over the 12 months preceding the survey. b Tasmania, ACT
and Northern Territory.
Source: PC Survey of Counselling Services.
Table L.11
Ethnicity of gambling clients a
per cent
NSW Vic Qld WA SA Other b Average
Anglo-celtic 77 79 82 69 81 79 77
Asian 7 4 6 10 11 8 7
Non-asian non-english speaking 12 15 9 19 4 3 11
Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander 2 1 2 2 3 5 2
Other 3 1 1 0 1 2 2
Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
Totals may not add due to rounding. a Weighted by the number of clients counselled over the 12 months
preceding the survey. b Tasmania, ACT and Northern Territory.
Source: PC Survey of Counselling Services.
SURVEY OF
COUNSELLING
SERVICES
L.9