One Disease
at a Time
We are a non-profit initiative dedicated to tackling gambling addiction in Australia — one person, one family, one community at a time.
Gambling addiction affects over 500,000 Australians, with millions more experiencing harm as family members, friends, or colleagues. Australia has one of the highest rates of gambling losses per capita in the world.
Key Facts
$25 Billion Lost Annually
Australians lose more to gambling per capita than any other nation.
200,000 Poker Machines
Nearly 20% of the world's pokies are in Australia.
500,000+ Affected
Plus 5–8 family members impacted per problem gambler.
24/7 Help Available
Free, confidential support through national services.
Our Mission
We exist to reduce the harm caused by gambling addiction in Australia. Through education, community engagement, and connecting people to support services, we aim to empower individuals, families, and communities to break free from the cycle of problem gambling.
Australia holds the unfortunate distinction of having the highest gambling losses per capita in the world. With nearly 200,000 poker machines — more per person than almost any other country — and increasingly aggressive sports betting advertising, the problem continues to grow. We believe this can change.
Latest Articles
View All →
The People Beside the Gambler — Gambling Harm to Families, and How Affected Loved Ones Recover
The harm that the conversation keeps leaving outAlmost everything written about gambling addiction f…
Why Relapse Happens — and How to Build a Gambling Recovery That Lasts
There is a quiet expectation, held by people in recovery and the families around them, that stopping…
The Neuroscience of Anticipation and Reward
One of the more durable assumptions of twentieth-century psychology was that the brain's reward syst…
Can Gambling Addiction Be Treated? What the Evidence Says About Therapy, Counselling, and Medication
Why this question matters more than people thinkOne of the cruellest myths about gambling addiction …
Why Gamblers Chase Losses — The Neuroscience of a Decision That Makes No Sense
The most dangerous moment in a gambling sessionThere is a specific moment in a gambling session that…
The Dark Playbook. How Offshore Online Casinos Engineer Players Into Gambling More
Offshore online casinos operate outside meaningful regulation, and they've built an arsenal of psych…
The Lies Your Brain Tells You While Gambling — Cognitive Distortions Explained
Why the way gambling makes you think is part of how it traps youMost people who develop a gambling p…
Sports Betting and Young Australians — How Advertising Normalised a Public Health Problem
Why sports betting and young Australians requires urgent attentionThe conversation about gambling ha…
The Psychology of Gambling Addiction — How the Brain Gets Trapped and What Families Can Do to Help
Why understanding the psychology mattersWhen someone we love is struggling with a gambling problem, …
Our Authors
Michael Thornton
Investigative Journalist Covering Gambling Psychology and Consumer BehaviourMichael Thornton is an i…
Dr. Eleanor Hayes
Dr. Eleanor Hayes is a journalist and researcher specialising in behavioural psychology, gambling be…
Dr. Lachlan Reid, PhD
Clinical Psychologist & Research Fellow in Behavioural AddictionsMelbourne Institute for Mental …
Get Help Now
If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling, reach out today. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7.