The Minns Labor Government has decided to expand its financial support for GambleAware by AUD 1.3 million ($930,000), plowing additional funds into the support service and network aimed at tackling problem gambling and offering assistance to people who already experience the adverse effects of compulsive gaming.
NSW Boosts Funding for GambleAware for the Financial Year Amid Strong Signs of Effectiveness
Thanks to the additional funding, the network will be able to expand its peer support workers and services in 44% more locations across New South Wales, which includes gambling counseling, financial counseling, and peer support, together seen as the three pillars of making a full recovery from problem gambling.
Service locations across New South Wales will now expand to 49, up from 34, and five more peer support workers will be added, bringing the total to 16. In a statement, Minister for Gaming and Racing, David Harris, had this to add:
“The Minns Labor Government is laser-focused on preventing and responding to gambling harm, which can have a devastating impact on the relatively small number of people it impacts, along with their loved ones.”
GambleAware has made its impact felt in the local community. A total of 4,170 people were supported and more than 19,000 counselling sessions were delivered. The GambleAware Helpline provided phone crisis support to 9,500 people, further demonstrating its overall effectiveness.
“GambleAware is an important gambling harm minimisation service that provides a range of access options to ensure people can get confidential help any time in the way they feel most comfortable,” Harris added.
The Minns Government is now supporting the Responsible Gambling Fund for the 2025–26 Financial Year with AUD 20.7 million ($14.79 million), up from AUD 19.2 million ($13.72 million) the previous year.
Several service providers have also received extended contracts for another three years, plus a two-year extension option, specifically: Wesley Community Services, Regional Community Care, Armidale CentaCare New England North West, Mission Australia, Uniting, and St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney.
The Minns Government has already shown a willingness to take an evidence-based approach to making gambling in New South Wales safer, through a number of measures enacted during its term.
NSW Government Has a Strong Track Record in Enacting
Among those is a reduction in Gaming Machine Entitlements by more than 3,000 and a reduction in the cash input limit to $500, down from $5,000, for all new gaming machines, resulting in 56% of current machines now having a $500 limit.
The government also introduced Responsible Gambling Officers into pubs and clubs with more than 20 gaming machines, along with mandatory gambling incident registers and gaming plans of management for all venues with gaming machines, ensuring clubs and hotels are actively monitoring for signs of gambling-related harm.
The government similarly banned all political donations from clubs with gaming machines and ensured that ATMs are not readily accessible in gaming areas of hotels and clubs. The NSW government also recently announced it is ending late-night poker machine exemptions.