INDIGENOUS men from Dubbo and Wellington are among four people who appear in a new DVD describing the devastating impact problem gambling had on their lives and what they did to tackle their addictions.
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Gambling counsellor Ashley Gordon recently visited Dubbo PCYC to present a free showing of the DVD Aboriginal Gambling: Our Stories.
The former NRL star from Brewarrina, who is the manager of NSW Aboriginal Safe Gambling Services, developed the project and presents the 18-minute DVD.
Dubbo’s Thomas Toomey and Wellington’s Roy Ah-See share their personal stories on the DVD, along with indigenous woman Bernie Hazel and former diplomat, author and university lecturer Stephen Hagan.
They include accounts of financial hardship, family breakdown, relationship stress, child neglect and mental health issues.
Mr Gordon said problem gambling was something people did not like to talk about but that was affecting communities “in very real ways”.
He said he hoped the DVD would get the message across that help was available for those whose gambling had become a problem, and that it was possible to beat the addiction because “so many of our people have stopped”.
“It’s OK if it (gambling) is done within our means and just for fun but not when it’s causing financial problems, stress, it affects relationships, when people lie about how much they gamble or when money isn’t being spent on the kids and important items such as food and bills,” he said.
He said while horses, sports betting, greyhounds and even backyard bingo and cards were all forms of gambling that could be addictive, “poker machines cause our people the most problems”, with people frequently spending more than they could afford.
In the DVD, Mr Gordon described how lights and music on poker machines made them difficult for some people to resist, and how some players wrongly believed such things as “wearing lucky undies” could influence the outcome of spins.
Setting a time limit to gamble and sticking to a budget were among suggestions about how to gamble responsibly, which were contained in the DVD.
“Don’t chase losses - the machines are designed to make you lose,” Mr Gordon said.
He also advised people not to gamble alone or mix alcohol with gambling.
“Pay your bills before you go to the club or a venue, and think of people who need your support, like family members,” he said.
Mr Gordon said some would argue problem gambling was no one’s business but the person affected.
“But if families are affected, it’s our business,” he said.
“We need to do something about it. We should be able to develop strategies so our people are not affected by problem gambling.”
Mr Gordon urged anyone who believed their gambling or that of a family member’s was out of control to seek help on 1800 752 948.