New Australian Study Claims Poker Players Have Highest Rates Of Problem Gambling

Australian Gambling Research Centre finds almost one in two poker players (46 percent) experience at least one gambling-related problem

Researchers at the Australian Gambling Research Centre (AGRC) have completed a problem gambling study in which they claim that poker players are most vulnerable to problem gambling issues.

The study, based on data collected through the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics (HILDA) Survey overseen by the Melbourne Institute on behalf of the Department of Social Services, found that 46 percent of poker players experience at least one gambling-related problem.

Dr Andrew Armstrong observed that whilst pokies receive the most attention, and sports betting is becoming increasingly high profile, the poker playing community is at risk of developing gambling problems as well.

The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics (HILDA) Survey data showed that of seven million ‘regular’ gamblers, 132,000 Australians gambled on poker, generating an average annual expenditure per player of A$ 1,758 in 2015…a total of more than A$228 million over the year.

Poker players also regularly spent money on other gambling activities, with poker making up to 48 percent of their total gambling spending. In total, the average poker player spent $3,673 on gambling.

Armstrong said that whilst poker is the least popular form of gambling among Australians, around 60,000 poker players are nevertheless at risk of harm.

“Over a third bet more than they could afford to lose and tried to win back the money they had lost on another day, while around a quarter had been told that they had a gambling problem and had caused financial problems for themselves or their households,” he said.

Armstrong claimed that 25 percent of poker players acknowledged that their gambling had caused physical or mental health problems, and called for greater awareness of this group of gamblers he characterised as “vulnerable”.