Are you concerned about your own safety or wellbeing? Or that of your family?
Gambling can put immense pressure on families and relationships. You may feel threatened or unsafe because of your gambling. Or you may be worried about your own behaviour towards your partner or other family members because of your gambling. The safety and wellbeing of children is also an important concern.
Support is available if are concerned about your own safety or wellbeing, or that of your partner, other family members, or your children.
Are you concerned about your own safety or wellbeing? Or that of your family?
Gambling can put immense pressure on families and relationships. You may feel threatened or unsafe because of a family member’s gambling. Or you may be worried about your own behaviour towards your partner or other family members because of their gambling. The safety and wellbeing of children is also an important concern.
Support is available if are concerned about your own safety or wellbeing, or that of your partner, other family members, or your children.
Are you concerned about someone’s safety and wellbeing?
Gambling can put immense pressure on families and relationships. As a professional, you may have some concerns about the safety and wellbeing of someone from a family experiencing gambling harm. This could be the person who is gambling or it could be their partner or another family member. The safety and wellbeing of children is also an important concern.
Support is available if you’re concerned about the welfare of a person who is gambling, their partner, their other family members or their children.
What is intimate partner and family violence?
Intimate partner violence is any behaviour within an intimate relationship that causes physical, psychological, or sexual harm to those in that relationship. In contrast, family violence is a broader category that includes intimate partner violence as well as violence that occurs within families, extended families, friendship networks, and communities. Neglect is also considered a form of abuse.
Not all abusive behaviours are easy to categorise, and some fit into multiple categories. For example, threats to harm can be emotional, verbal or physical abuse. But one thing abusive behaviours all have in common is that they are used to control, manipulate, or dominate other people.
What are the different types of violence?
Violent or abusive behaviour can mean many different things, so they’re not always easy to identify. Take a look at the different types of aggression, violence and abuse.
Any actual or threatened attack on someone’s body or physical safety, like smashing or throwing things, using intimidating body language, holding or restraining, pushing, shoving, hitting, slapping, choking, and hair-pulling.
Any actual or threatened sexual contact without consent, like unwanted touching, exposing oneself, or having sex without consent.
Any behaviour that undermines another person’s self-worth, confidence and independence. Examples include name calling or insults, gaslighting, ridiculing or shaming, intentionally causing embarrassment or guilt, and threatening to harm oneself or other people.
Any behaviour that threatens or causes fear in a person which is used in order to control them, like coercion, defamation, verbal insults or harassment.
Any behaviour that limits, controls or interferes with someone’s social activities or relationships with others, like excessive questioning, monitoring movements and social communications, and preventing someone from having contact with family or friends.
Any behaviour that uses a person’s spiritual or religious beliefs to manipulate, dominate, or control them, like preventing them from attending religious gatherings, preventing them from practicing their faith, or ridiculing their beliefs.
Any behaviour that uses an aspect of a person’s culture, religion, or tradition to control them, like belittling a person’s cultural beliefs or practices, violating or preventing these practices, or denying access to their cultural community.
Any behaviour involving the use of words, whether spoken or written (including online), to cause harm to a person – like yelling, putting down, name calling, and belittling behaviours.
Any behaviour that controls a person’s financial resources without the person’s consent or misuses those resources, like stealing money or property, denying someone access to their own money, incurring debts in someone’s name, and making financial decisions without consultation.
When someone has the responsibility to provide care or assistance for a person but does not, like failing to provide sufficient supervision, nourishment, or medical care.
Is there a link between gambling and family violence?
Sometimes, issues with gambling and family violence happen together. People who have issues with their gambling are more likely than others to experience violence in their families and to act violently themselves. Research suggests that gambling does not directly cause violence in families or the other way around, but that they can be linked in several ways. For example:
- People who gamble can be violent towards their family members as their own gambling losses and other consequences increase.
- Family members can be violent towards the person who gambles as their gambling losses and other consequences increase.
- Gambling can be a way to physically or emotionally escape violence from family members.
- Gambling can be a way for gamblers to cope with their own violent behaviour within their families.
It’s important to understand that the connection between gambling and family violence is complex and can involve other factors such as alcohol consumption. Regardless of how they are connected, there can be a vicious cycle between gambling and family violence.
Financial abuse is when someone controls or manipulates another person's finances to benefit themselves. This type of abuse is common in families where someone has an issue with their gambling. Some people who gamble may attempt to gain control of the family’s finances to get more money to gamble or pay off debts. However, family members may also restrict financial access to the person who gambles in an attempt to get some control over the family finances.
What can you do?
If you or someone you know is at risk of experiencing violence, it’s important to know where to go and what to do. For support relating to intimate partner violence, family violence, or sexual assault, there are many options available, including counselling and temporary accommodation. You can also apply for a Protection Order, which is a legal document that lists things the person who might hurt you is not allowed to do, like assaulting, threatening, harassing or intimidating you.
Support is also available for people who want to stop their violent or abusive behaviour towards their partners, other family members, or children.
Sometimes people feel unsure about asking for help, but it’s important to protect yourself and your family and to learn how to deal with what is going on in your life. The most important thing is to put the safety of you and your family first.
Do you want help with family violence?
You can seek help from the police to apply for a Protection Order on your behalf or you can call the 1800 RESPECT Line on 1800 737 732 for more information.
The following free helplines are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:
- 1800 RESPECT Line: 1800 737 732 – the national domestic violence, family violence, and sexual assault helpline
- Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 – nationwide service to people affected by suicide
- Lifeline: 13 11 14 – for support and advice for anyone experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide
- Mensline: 1300 78 99 78 – support for men and boys who are dealing with family and relationship difficulties
- Men’s Referral Service: 1300 766 491 – for men who want to stop their violent or abusive behaviour towards family members
- Elder Abuse Helpline: 1800 353 374 – for people who experience or witness the abuse of an older person
- Kids Help Line: 1800 551 800 – for young people between 5 and 25 years old
- 13 YARN: 13 92 76 – national crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping.
- Rainbow Sexual, Domestic and Family Violence Help Line 1800 497 212 – helpline for LGBTQIA+ people dealing with sexual or family violence.
Call 000 in an emergency.
Do you want more help?
For help with gambling and family violence, you can also start an online chat with us or call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 – free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
What can you do?
If you or someone you know is at risk of experiencing violence, it’s important to know where to go and what to do. For support relating to intimate partner violence, family violence, or sexual assault, there are many options available, including counselling and temporary accommodation. You can also apply for a Protection Order, which is a legal document that lists things the person who might hurt you is not allowed to do, like assaulting, threatening, harassing or intimidating you.
Support is also available for people who want to stop their violent or abusive behaviour towards their partners, other family members, or children.
Sometimes people feel unsure about asking for help, but it’s important to protect yourself and your family and to learn how to deal with what is going on in your life. The most important thing is to put the safety of you and your family first.
Do you want help with family violence?
You can seek help from the police to apply for a Protection Order on your behalf or you can call the 1800 RESPECT Line on 1800 737 732 for more information.
The following free helplines are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:
- 1800 RESPECT Line: 1800 737 732 – the national domestic violence, family violence, and sexual assault helpline
- Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 – nationwide service to people affected by suicide
- Lifeline: 13 11 14 – for support and advice for anyone experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide
- Mensline: 1300 78 99 78 – support for men and boys who are dealing with family and relationship difficulties
- Men’s Referral Service: 1300 766 491 – for men who want to stop their violent or abusive behaviour towards family members
- Elder Abuse Helpline: 1800 353 374 – for people who experience or witness the abuse of an older person
- Kids Help Line: 1800 551 800 – for young people between 5 and 25 years old
- 13 YARN: 13 92 76 – national crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping.
- Rainbow Sexual, Domestic and Family Violence Help Line 1800 497 212 – helpline for LGBTQIA+ people dealing with sexual or family violence.
Call 000 in an emergency.
Do you want more help?
For help with gambling and family violence, you or your family member or friend can start an online chat with us or call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 – free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
These services are available to support anyone affected by gambling harm, including family members or friends like you. It’s not only the person who gambles that can be affected, but the people close to them too. It’s important to take care of yourself when you’re supporting someone else. Check out the family and friends section in our peer support community to connect with people who understand.
What can you do?
When someone has issues with gambling, it's important for professionals to also consider the possibility of them experiencing violence in their relationship or family. This is because gambling issues and violence often happen together.
If someone you know is at risk of experiencing violence, you can help them create a plan that involves knowing where to go and what to do. For support relating to domestic violence, family violence, or sexual assault, there are many options available, including counselling and temporary accommodation. They can also apply for a Protection Order, which is a legal document that lists things the person who might perpetrate the violence is not allowed to do, like assaulting, threatening, harassing or intimidating the protected person.
Support is also available for people who want to stop their violent or abusive behaviour towards their partners, other family members, or children.
Do you want help with family violence?
As a professional, you can help people seek assistance from the police to apply for a Protection Order on their behalf or you can call the 1800 RESPECT Line on 1800 737 732 for more information.
The following free helplines are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:
- 1800 RESPECT Line: 1800 737 732 – the national domestic violence, family violence, and sexual assault helpline
- Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 – nationwide service to people affected by suicide
- Lifeline: 13 11 14 – for support and advice for anyone experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide
- Mensline: 1300 78 99 78 – support for men and boys who are dealing with family and relationship difficulties
- Men’s Referral Service: 1300 766 491 – for men who want to stop their violent or abusive behaviour towards family members
- Elder Abuse Helpline: 1800 353 374 – for people who experience or witness the abuse of an older person
- Kids Help Line: 1800 551 800 – for young people between 5 and 25 years old
- 13 YARN: 13 92 76 – national crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping.
- Rainbow Sexual, Domestic and Family Violence Help Line 1800 497 212 – helpline for LGBTQIA+ people dealing with sexual or family violence.
Call 000 in an emergency.
Do you want more help?
For help with gambling and mental health issues, you or the person you’re working with can also start an online chat with us or call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 – free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
These services are available to support anyone affected by gambling harm, including family members, friends, and professionals like you. It can be hard for professionals to support people who are dealing with gambling issues. To learn more about how you can help, go to our section on How Professionals Can Help.
