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Resources
The documents and images on this page can be used freely and shared. Please do not remove the Wesley Mission logo if it appears on an item, but if there is no logo, feel free to add your own, or incorporate this material in your own templates.
Discussion papers, research reports and guidelines
More discussion papers will be added during the course of the campaign.
The policy changes we want to see:
- Wesley Mission’s 2023-27 NSW Gambling Reform Platform to Protect our Communities
- Wesley Mission 2023-27 NSW Gambling Reform Platform – Background
Evidence for mandatory cards:
- NSW Harm Prevention Cashless system Wesley Mission discussion paper
Pre-commitment systems for electronic gambling machines, Policy & Practice Paper 2017, Australian Gambling Research Centre
Facial Recognition Technology:
Gambling language:
Gambling data
NSW Losses
Gambling losses can occur through race betting on course or in the TAB, buying lottery, lotto and scratchie tickets, Keno, online gambling or poker machines. Wesley Mission is currently concentrating on preventing and minimising harm from poker machine gambling, which still accounts for around half of all dollar losses in NSW.
Some key figures from the most recent data, second quarter of 2023 (noting losses in the first half of a calendar year are always less than in the second half):
- Total losses: $1.97billion, through 87,298 poker machines in pubs and clubs.
- Daily losses: $21.5million. Every day.
- Venues: 57% of losses come through club pokies ($12.1million a day) and 43% through pub pokies ($9.4million a day)
Read more here: NSW community loses more than $2 billion to pub and club poker machines as cost of living crisis bites | Wesley Mission
Community Attitudes to Gambling Survey
October 2023, 2nd edition report can be downloaded here.
Key findings include:
- 82.4% of NSW residents support shutting down poker machines from midnight to 10am
- Between a quarter and a third of people who gamble regularly on poker machines (at least once a month) are now less likely to enter a venue now that there is a ban on signage that promotes poker machines
- Community faith in the government taking action to achieve reform has worsened from April (1st edition)
- 66.9% do not think the government is fully committed to addressing gambling harm
- 73.4% do not think the government is doing enough
- 69.5% do not trust the government to stand up to the gambling industry.
FAQ: Wesley Mission facts and figures on gambling harm
Fact Sheet: Gambling and culturally & linguistically diverse communities
We stand by our claims. If you would like to know where our facts and figures come from, please download our Frequently Asked Questions.
Videos
Gambling reform launch at Parliament House November 22
Wesley Mission, faith groups and civil society organisations launched our policy reform platform, calling for leaders to ‘Put pokies in their place’. The campaign calls upon the NSW Parliament to implement meaningful reforms to prevent and reduce gambling harm.
Downloadable pdf posters
Speech bubble posters (can be printed as A4 or A3)
It’s powerful when people can speak in their own voice to say why they want gambling reform. Download and print these ‘speech bubble’ posters and use them to ask candidates or members of the public to express their views. Take photos (if people don’t want to be identified, frame the shot so their face is not visible) and share on socials, and please send us a copy or tag @wesleymission.Wesley Mission 5 point election platform goals (A3)
One way you can use this poster is in a meet the candidate forum, where you ask candidates to use post-it-notes with their names to show whether they support all or some of the platform; take a photo after this exercise and post on social media tagging @wesleymission so we can see it, or send us a copy of the photo with details of where the forum was held and the candidates’ full names.Social media tiles
Our five 2023-2027 gambling reform goals:
Social media tiles for you to use about poker machine losses in NSW in Q3 2022:
QR code
Please use this QR code if you would like to easily direct people to our main page.
Free, confidential support for people experiencing gambling harm is available 24/7 by calling the GambleAware Helpline 1800 858 858 or visit Gambling Help Online.
In crisis? Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or crisis chat online.
Authorised by Rev Stu Cameron, Wesley Mission, 220 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000.
Merchandise
We have a number of merchandise items available. Please send us an email if you would like more information about the merchandise or Put Pokies in their Place materials to gambling.reform@wesleymission.org.au
