WE’RE HERE TO HELP YOU AND THE COMMUNITY.

We work to understand each person’s circumstances and provide support in a number of ways. We offer a 24/7 helpline, gambling and financial counselling services, as well as peer support.

Who we are, what we do.
How we do it

ACT Gambling and Support Service (AGSS) is free and confidential support for people experiencing harm as a result of their or someone else’s gambling.

We offer 24/7 support over the phone, virtual meetings or face to face appointments. We have online gambling and financial counselling services available and peer support (one to one, couples, families or groups).

All our practitioners are qualified and experienced. Our team helps you to navigate your options by sharing useful tips and information. We will assist you to identify and make the changes you want.

We also aim to increase knowledge and awareness to reduce the stigma associated with gambling harm within the community. Our Community Engagement team offers education and prevention initiatives for gambling harm and referrals to other community agencies when necessary.

We can support you if:

you are concerned about your gambling
you are affected by the gambling of a family member or friend
you are a health or community support worker, working with people affected by gambling harm
you are working in the gambling industry and want to understand more to support your patrons
you are a community member interested in understanding more about gambling harms in the ACT community

All services provided by the AGSS are free for people
living in the ACT and surrounding region.

Our partners

The ACT Gambling Support Service is funded by the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission administered through the “Gambling Harm Prevention and Mitigation Fund”.

Our services are managed by Relationships Australia Canberra and Region, supported by our service delivery partners Care Financial Inc. and Relationships Australia Queensland.

We focus on delivering quality, accessible, client-oriented services for people impacted by gambling harm.

Supporting the entire Canberra community

Who experiences gambling harm in the ACT

In 2019 the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission funded the Australian National University’s Centre for Gambling Research to undertake a comprehensive study of gambling in the ACT.

The resulting 2019 ACT Gambling Survey report was based on
interviews with 10,000 ACT residents about their gambling related activity, impacts they reported experiencing from their own or another persons’ gambling, information and help-seeking, as well as their attitudes towards specific gambling activities and policies.

Amongst the ACT population:

-13.6 percent of ACT adults – around 44,000 people – experienced harm from their own or someone else’s gambling over the previous 12 months.

-9.6 percent of ACT adults- around 31,000 people – experienced harm from their own gambling.

-In the ACT survey, 5.3 percent of adults reported that another person’s gambling had personally affected them, equivalent to approximately 17,000 people.

-More than half the people who were impacted by another’s gambling were women (57.5 percent) and the relationship most often involved a friend (24.8 percent) or a spouse (18.8 percent).

We invite you to read the 2019 ACT Gambling Survey report for more information.

Phone 1800 858 858

Free, confidential and available 24/7

If you find it difficult to hear or to speak, you can contact us through the National Relay Service (NRS). Please call 133-677

If you require support in another language, you can use the Translating Interpreting Service (TIS) free of charge by calling us and asking for an interpreter or calling TIS on 131 450 and asking to be connected to us on 1800 858 858

In the spirit of reconciliation, ACT Gambling Support Service acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples visiting this website.