Mark Kempster, who began gambling during his teenage years while playing Australian Rules football, has seen the devastating effects of his online betting addiction, losing over $100,000, much of his youth, and nearly his family’s support.

“It destroyed me. I became a terrible person for quite some time,” he reflected.

Though Kempster has abstained from betting for the past five years, he remains concerned by the frequent social media posts from young influencers promoting gambling at poker machines.

A government representative emphasized their commitment to safeguarding Australians, especially children and young adults, from the detrimental impacts of online gambling, and highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle this problem.

The spokesperson noted that the government has implemented “the most significant gambling harm reduction measures” in a decade, such as the introduction of the national self-exclusion program, BetStop.

However, Kempster believes these reforms are the most substantial only because previous administrations neglected the issue entirely.

“You’re going from zero to one, not zero to 100. They need to do more,” he said.

There are many different ways to get help and information about gambling. You can visit the National Gambling Helpline or call on 1800 858 858.