Let’s call her ‘Eleni’. She was born and grew up in a small town in Greece, migrating to Australia on her own, at 18 years of age. With no family in Australia and unable to speak English, she married at 19. At 24, she was a mother to three children. Time passed. She was an isolated woman with parental responsibilities and no role model. Then another child came, and then came the pokies. “I am the daughter of a problem gambler,” says Eleni. “I had to lie to find the money to gamble. I would get up in the morning and at 9 o’clock I would be at the bloody pokies. For 17 years I was in the dark. No sun. Drugged. It was a slow death. All because of my addiction.”
Eleni came to Gambler’s Help Eastern after being encouraged by her partner. Sophia Alexandra, a counsellor met ‘Eleni’ seven months ago and for Sophia, Eleni’s story is all too familiar. “She knew her gambling was problematic but felt trapped, entrenched. Eleni sought help when she felt she was losing herself, neglecting her own personal care and family,” Sophia says. Alexandra believes Eleni’s story is indicative of a wider problem and that individuals, particularly women from Greek and other diverse communities are vulnerable to problem gambling.
“Such communities are very vulnerable. In my experience individuals from Greek and multicultural communities aren’t as likely to come forward as people from Anglo-Saxon backgrounds, either because of limited access to information and cultural stigmas; generally speaking the message is ‘we deal with this within the family, we don’t go outside’. “Gambling is seen as part of the Australian culture and social repertoire and often the poker machine venues are located within the vicinity, if not in the same complex as other services like supermarkets.
For women, they see it as it a safe environment and there are few places where they feel they can socialise outside their immediate friends and family.” This week a Victorian Government Gambling Study was published and reveals that gambling habits and behaviours like Eleni’s are not static, according to Minister for Gaming, Michael O’Brien. The study, the first ever to track problem gambling cases in the Victorian population over twelve months, followed individual experiences over three years to explore their health and well-being. It revealed that some six per cent of participants who gamble increased their risk category, moving to the low, moderate or problem gambling categories. Meanwhile, 4.3 per cent moved away from higher risk categories.
“This is a clear indication that, while the study shows not all problem gamblers remain problem gamblers; for others, problem gambling might be a longer-term feature of their life,” said the Minister. The Victorian Government recently committed $150 million over four years to establish the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation to reduce problem gambling, encourage responsible gambling and ensure more is done to tackle social problems caused by problem gambling.
Today, Eleni is in her late fifties and lives in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. “I wanted the relationship with my husband back; I wanted to live again so I started attending Gamblers Anonymous last year. Now I don’t do the pokies. Thanks to counselling I found light in a very dark place. I found a glimmer of hope.” Eleni’s relationship with the pokie machine started 16 years ago, when the Victorian Government changed the legislation allowing pokies into the state. Her suitor, like a relationship with any ultimately abusive partner, began innocently enough; but what started as a harmless pastime grew into a habit that almost destroyed her.
“Eleni now is in a good place,” says Sophia. “She chose to abstain from gambling rather than control it; she knew she couldn’t control it. She was open with her family and friends about her gambling problem and keeps a journal of her feelings and thoughts, which she talks about in counselling. She has shifted her focus on the future, home, family and travel and she’s keen to help others find the courage to ask for help.” Eleni’s story might be your story, or that of a family member. For those who feel they want free non-judgemental support about their own or a loved-one’s gambling, Greek speaking counsellors are available through the Gambler’s Help services. Call 1800 858 858.