Sydney University Gambling Clinic
Report prepared by the University of Sydney Gambling Treatment Clinic and Gambling Research Unit for the South Australian Independent Gambling Authority. Principal Investigators. Michael Walker (deceased), Past Director, Gambling Treatment Clinic Alex Blaszczynski, Director, Gambling Research Unit & Gambling Treatment Clinic. The Gambling Treatment Clinic, which is funded through the NSW Government Responsible Gambling Fund, has locations at Parramatta, Lidcombe, Campbelltown, as well as at the University of Sydney's. (3)Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic, School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia. Studies point to a relationship between fantasy sports/daily fantasy sports (DFS) play and gambling behavior. However, little is known about the nature of those relationships, particularly regarding the development of gambling problems. University of Sydney Gambling Treatment Clinic in Darlington, 2008, offers the following services - Psychology service.
Inpatient programs
The Sydney Clinic specialises in mood and anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, drug and alcohol detoxification, gambling, as well as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Our inpatient programs provide a range of psychological therapeutic groups and activities.
The program is run by a multidisciplinary team that includes Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Nursing staff and a Psychiatric registrar.
Some patients may require inpatient treatment (staying overnight for a period of time in the clinic).
Sydney Uni Gambling Treatment Clinic
Patients who experience acute symptoms may require urgent intervention and often inpatient care, however once the acute symptoms have resolved and the patient has stabilised they can attend as an outpatient.
Program details are recorded on the noticeboards of each floor.
Admissions to inpatient programs at The Sydney Clinic
- If you would like to arrange an admission to The Sydney Clinic, please contact our friendly receptionist on 02 9389 8888 Monday – Friday between 9am and 4pm.
- You will need to have organised a referral from your GP or treating Psychiatrist. This referral can be faxed to us on 02 9389 5699 or emailed to tscreception@healthscope.com.au
- When you call The Sydney Clinic, you will speak to our Patient Registration Officer who will take your details and complete a health fund eligibility check before passing your details on to our Admissions Officer.
- Our Admissions Officer will contact you on the telephone number you have provided to us to conduct a phone assessment with you.
- Once this is done, our Admissions Officer is able to then organise your admission to The Sydney Clinic.
The AOD unit is situated on Level 2.
The primary focus of this unit is specialist addiction treatment dealing with substance addictions.
Main conditions that are treated in terms of Substance dependence disorders are drug and alcohol, alcohol intervention, benzodiazepine withdrawal, cannabis use, methamphetamine (including ICE), cocaine, heroine, opioid substitution treatment and any addiction combination thereof, including over the counter medications and prescription medications or drugs.
The Drug and Alcohol Unit aims to provide optimum in health care whilst guiding you through your withdrawal period.
Our goal is to provide a respectful, compassionate and structured environment during the recovery process.
All of this is done while affording each patient with the individual respect and dignity deserved.
Prohibited
Please bear in mind that the use of alcohol or drugs, including medication that has been prescribed but has not been dispensed by nursing staff, is strictly prohibited while you are an inpatient at The Sydney Clinic.
The use of any illegal drugs whilst in hospital are reportable to the police.
The Mood Disorder Unit is situated on Level 1. The primary focus of this unit is the evaluation and treatment of Mood disorders.Main conditions that are treated are Depression, Biplar Disorder, Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Phobia's, Obsessive and Compulsive Disorders, PTSD, Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorders.The Mood Disorder Unit also offers Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) as a treatment option. Please do not hesitate to contact The Sydney Clinic on 02 9389 8888 if you would like to know more about ECT.
A study to be presented at the Brain and Mind Centre Symposium 2020 today shows that over six months from the early days of COVID-19 to November, gambling frequency reduced, signalling a window of opportunity post-pandemic.
Sydney University Gambling Clinics
A study by the University of Sydney has found that in the six months since gambling venues were shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently re-opened, the average person reduced the number of times they gambled but no changes were seen among those experiencing gambling problems.
The gambling results will be presented today at the Brain and Mind Centre Symposium, which is focused on what can be expected in brain and mind sciences research.
“Our preliminary results indicate that most people are gambling less frequently, even as venues re-open and we start to get back to normal life, but more efforts are needed to help people experiencing gambling problems to get the support they need,” said Dr Nicola Black, a senior research fellow who will present the results at the Symposium this afternoon.
The group of researchers, based at the Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic and Technology Addiction Team in the Brain and Mind Centre, conducted a series of online surveys in May, August and November this year to examine the impacts of changes in the availability of gambling in pubs, clubs, and casinos on Australians’ gambling habits.
Associate Professor Sally Gainsbury, study lead and director of the Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic, said the preliminary results indicated that the level of gambling problems experienced by people in the study had not changed over the course of the six-month period.
“Overall, most people with gambling problems seem to have reduced how frequently they gamble compared to pre-COVID levels – but only by a small amount, and not enough to see any real reduction in gambling-related problems,” said Associate Professor Gainsbury, from the Faculty of Science’s School of Psychology.
“Our findings from the first survey in May indicated many people found the venue closures were helping them to break their gambling problem; but these latest findings suggest that in many cases, their problems may have persisted.”
“We may still be in a window where people experiencing problems are more open to changing their gambling habits. However, without professional support, overcoming entrenched gambling problems can be very hard.”
Findings include:
- On average, respondents reduced the number of times they engaged in different land-based and online gambling activities from 34 per month pre-COVID to 31 per month in November 2020.
- Participants who were already experiencing gambling problems did not change how frequently they gambled compared to pre-COVID.
- The level of gambling problems experienced by individuals remained stable over the six-month period of the study.
About the survey:
462 Australian adults (87 percent male, average age 45 years) who had gambled in the past 12 months signed up to take part in the study, which involved three online surveys (May, August, and November 2020). Most participants had already gambled online prior to the venue shutdown. Most respondents were from the east coast of Australia. Participants who lived in Victoria were not included in the findings described here as they experienced a different pattern of restrictions during the second wave.
Some respondents indicated that their gambling habits had changed since venues reopened: “Have made decision to restrict my playing the pokies to shorter amounts of time … The time away during COVID gave me time to reflect on what was becoming an unhelpful habit.”
Another said: “I know that now the venues are opening I will go back – hopefully lesser but in any event, I wished the venues stayed shut!”
Dr Nicola Black concludes: “Our findings highlight how hard it can be for people experiencing gambling problems to change their gambling behaviour.
“Asking for help takes a lot of courage, but effective treatments are available and recovery is possible.”
The Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic offers free, confidential services for individuals and families impacted by gambling with no referral needed, funded by the NSW Office of Responsible Gambling. Clients are currently being seen remotely using telephone and video conferencing. To make an appointment phone 1800 482 482 or email us. For referral to services across Australia call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.