- Lifeline: 13 11 14
- Uniting Albury: 02 6021 7099
When you gamble, you risk your health, relationships and lifestyle, but the ultimate risk is to your life, says Uniting Albury.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Gambling community educator Claire Thomas was behind a number of bright and inviting sideshow-styled games, which drove home the contrastingly serious message at QEII Square this week.
"I spoke to a couple of people who said their close family members had taken their lives because of the damage done," she said.
The pop-up event invited Border residents to play their way through the games using 10 tokens, which represented different things in their lives, for the chance to win a prize.
"Some of the things they were gambling with was food, their house, transport, leisure activities, bathing, health, their pets, or their relationships," Ms Thomas said.
"The payback was double your tokens back, but there was no guarantee you were going to get that.
"We were trying to raise awareness that when you bet in a harmful fashion or when it gets out of control, you're not just betting with that money, you're betting with what that money could have bought or what it risks if you lose it."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Ms Thomas said about 60 people participated in the games, while double that watched on or approached to make inquiries.
"One of the major problems for people who experience harm from gambling is that there is a stigma about talking about that harm," she said.
"If we're not having those conversations, there's no awareness and it will continue to be a subterranean problem.
"We need to get it out there and we need to destigmatise the situation where people are experiencing harm, because that stops people coming to get help."
Uniting Albury, which provides a free and confidential gambling and financial counselling service, conducted surveys throughout the games to better understand the needs of the community.
Ms Thomas said for every one person impacted by gambling, another six were also impacted.
"It has a ripple effect that we all need to be conscious of," she said.
If you or anyone else you know needs support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Uniting Albury on 02 6021 7099 or online.
To read more stories, download The Border Mail news app in the Apple Store or Google Play.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark https://www.bordermail.com.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @bordermail
- Follow us on Instagram @bordermail
- Follow us on Google News.
Victoria Ellis
Victoria Ellis grew up on the Border and loves reporting for her home community. She is a University of Wollongong Journalism graduate. In 2018 Victoria was awarded the Bruce Gordon Scholarship for Journalism and completed a 10 week internship with WIN News Illawarra. In 2019 she was awarded The Border Mail's Cameron Thompson Scholarship, where she completed a three week internship, before taking up ongoing employment in 2021.
Victoria Ellis grew up on the Border and loves reporting for her home community. She is a University of Wollongong Journalism graduate. In 2018 Victoria was awarded the Bruce Gordon Scholarship for Journalism and completed a 10 week internship with WIN News Illawarra. In 2019 she was awarded The Border Mail's Cameron Thompson Scholarship, where she completed a three week internship, before taking up ongoing employment in 2021.
