Playing and alcohol consumption are prevalent behaviours amongst Australian youths and younger adults, typically main to varied social and health-related harms. The “Bets ’n’ Booze” research, carried out in September 2024 by the Australian Playing Analysis Centre (AGRC) on the Australian Institute of Household Research (AIFS), delved into the contexts, harms, and predictors related to the simultaneous use of playing and alcohol in people aged 16 to 35 years.
Analysis Strategy
The analysis deployed a mixed-methods method, consisting of a web based survey of 1,168 members who had engaged in playing inside the previous 12 months and in-depth interviews with 18 people from this group who reported concurrent playing and alcohol use.
Key Findings
The findings revealed that roughly half of the survey members often consumed alcohol whereas playing. Licensed venues had been recognized as frequent settings facilitating this co-consumption, with social interactions—resembling gatherings with associates, companions, or relations—typically serving as the first motivation.
The research’s members had been predominantly male (64%), with a good portion aged between 26 and 35 years (58%). Most had been employed (87%), and a couple of third had been college students (31%). The pattern included people from all Australian states and territories, with the bulk residing in main cities (70%). Playing participation was excessive, with digital playing machines (EGMs) being the most well-liked amongst each women and men. Males had been actively concerned in sports activities betting and horse racing, whereas females confirmed greater participation in lotteries and on the spot scratch tickets.
Initiation into playing and alcohol use often occurred across the age of 18, with some people beginning even earlier. This early publicity was typically perceived as a ceremony of passage in Australian tradition. Nevertheless, underage engagement in these actions was linked to elevated dangers of playing and alcohol-related harms in maturity. Regardless of a good portion of the pattern being liable to gambling-related hurt, the bulk didn’t search help, actually because they didn’t acknowledge the necessity for assist. For many who desired assist however didn’t pursue it, embarrassment was essentially the most generally cited barrier.
Frequent playing was frequent, with 45% of members participating in playing actions weekly. Males reported greater frequencies in sports activities and racing occasions, whereas each genders had related charges of weekly participation in pokies and lotteries. The research additionally assessed gambling-related harms utilizing the Drawback Playing Severity Index (PGSI), revealing that about two-thirds of members had been at some threat of experiencing gambling-related harms. Males exhibited greater prevalence charges of at-risk playing in comparison with females.
Members conveyed varied harms related to playing, together with monetary difficulties, unfavourable impacts on employment or research, well being points, and strained relationships. On common, people skilled between one and two gambling-related harms prior to now 12 months. Generally reported points included diminished spending on leisure actions, emotions of remorse, and elevated alcohol consumption. In-depth interviews highlighted the psychological toll of playing, with some members expressing emotions of despair and anxiousness following vital losses.
Alcohol use was prevalent amongst members, with males reporting greater frequencies of consumption. A really excessive pattern of each women and men consumed alcohol above the advisable tips, with many participating in heavy episodic consuming.
Co-consumption of playing and alcohol was widespread, with 80% of members reporting some frequency of alcohol use whereas playing. About half indicated that they typically or at all times drank whereas playing. These members typically mixed these actions and had greater PGSI scores, suggesting an elevated threat of gambling-related harms. Licensed venues had been a standard vacation spot for co-consumption, offering easy accessibility to each playing alternatives and alcohol. Some members famous that alcohol consumption led to extra impulsive playing behaviors and better expenditures.
Social elements performed a big position in playing behaviors, with many members viewing playing as a social exercise. The presence of family and friends typically influenced playing and consuming habits, with males extra more likely to gamble with associates and females with companions or relations. Regardless of the excessive prevalence of at-risk playing behaviours, help-seeking was low. The vast majority of members didn’t see a necessity for help, and amongst those that did, embarrassment was a key barrier. Some people emphasised the worth of peer assist and counseling in addressing playing points.
Key Takeaway
The research’s findings have coverage implications for governments at dwelling and overseas in understanding the affect and hurt playing and alcohol consumption have, highlighting the necessity for stricter enforcement of age restrictions in licensed venues, elevated consciousness and training in regards to the harms of co-consuming playing and alcohol, gender-responsive prevention and remedy methods, and efforts to de-stigmatise help-seeking for gambling-related harms.
The significance of addressing these points is necessary in mitigating the social and well being impacts of playing and alcohol use amongst Australian youths and younger adults.
