The New South Wales government has announced an additional AU$1.3 million in annual funding for GambleAware, aiming to strengthen gambling harm support services and expand access to assistance across the state. The investment will increase the number of GambleAware locations by 44%, growing the network from 34 to 49 sites.
The funding package will also allow the organisation to recruit five new peer support workers, bringing its dedicated team to 16 staff members. GambleAware provides free counselling, financial guidance, peer support services and a 24-hour crisis helpline for people affected by gambling-related harm.
According to government figures, GambleAware supported 4,170 clients during the 2024-25 financial year, delivering more than 19,000 counselling sessions and handling over 9,500 calls through its crisis support line.
The expanded programme will be delivered through six organisations selected via a competitive tender process. These providers will continue operating services across 10 regions in New South Wales under contracts lasting three years, with options for two-year extensions. The selected groups include Wesley Community Services, Regional Community Care, Armidale CentaCare New England North West, Mission Australia, Uniting and St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney.
Gaming and Racing Minister David Harris said the decision followed an independent review of GambleAware, which found the service to be effective but recommended additional resources for community engagement, peer support programmes and rising operational costs.
The latest funding increase forms part of the Minns government’s broader gambling reform strategy. Recent measures include raising the Responsible Gambling Fund, reducing gaming machine entitlements, lowering cash input limits on new machines, introducing responsible gambling officers in larger venues and enforcing mandatory shutdown periods for electronic gaming machines between 4am and 10am. The state has also introduced restrictions on gambling advertising and is developing new self-exclusion tools and facial recognition technology to support harm minimisation efforts.