Problem gambling among those seeking homelessness services

Key findings

• In 2007-08, there were 2,462 Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) support periods reported where the client was identified as having gambling-related issues. A client may have more than one period of support, so the total number of support periods may be greater than the total number of clients.
• This represented 1.2% of the total support periods provided under the program. Among the states and territories, New South Wales had the highest percentage of support periods where the client was identified as having gambling-related issues (2%), followed by the Australian Capital Territory and Queensland (1.3% each), with the lowest in Western Australia (0.3%).
• Compared with all SAAP clients, clients with gambling-related issues were:
  • more likely to be older
  • more likely to be male
  • less likely to be Indigenous
  • more likely to have some source of income, particularly to be in receipt of a government payment before support
  • more likely to be employed full or part time before support.
• Less than 1% of support periods for Indigenous clients were for those with gambling-related problems, compared with 1.5% for non-Indigenous clients.
• The most common type of house/dwelling before support for clients with gambling-related issues was a house or flat followed by living rough.