The Queensland government made $1.9 billion in gambling taxes last year, but only spent 0.6 per cent on harm minimisation programs.
A damning Queensland Audit Office report has taken aim at the state government’s “inadequate” harm reduction strategies.
The report, tabled in state parliament, has revealed Queensland gamblers spent $56.4 billion in the 2022-23 financial year.
That amounts to 12 per cent of all the money spent in Queensland on goods and services that year.
The independent auditor found gambling taxes and levies increased 43 per cent over the past five years, but the amount spent on harm minimisation barely budged.
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Another was for Queensland to adopt the self-exclusion system used in other states, which allows problem gamblers to ban themselves from all gaming venues.
The authors recommended a system to identify “high-risk” gambling providers and subject them to compliance activities.
It also advocates a reassessment of the long-term funding needed for the department to effectively deliver its harm minimisation plans.
Source: abc.net.au
George Barham, an accomplished journalist and avid gambling enthusiast, serves as the esteemed Editor-in-Chief at fly-to-australia.com, Australia’s leading source for comprehensive gambling news and insights. With an unwavering passion for both the written word and the ever-evolving world of betting and gaming, George brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the helm of our editorial team.
