THERE is a lot Lynda Genser has done that she is not proud about. Her proudest day was quitting gambling on the day her grandson was born, 17 years ago.
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Life had quickly unravelled for Ms Genser when the pokies were introduced to Victoria in 1992.
Ms Genser lost everything, except her three children, to the bright flashing lights fuelling her addiction: she was separated from her husband within three years; she ended up living in a halfway house as the only resident who had not been in jail; and respect in her job was gone.
In her role as an advisor with lived experience for the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, Ms Genser continues to see ordinary lives torn apart by gambling.
Ms Genser is set to headline a panel discussion at Ballarat Town Hall on October 17 as part of Gambling Harm Awareness Week in a partnership with City of Ballarat, Cafs, Ballarat Community Health, Ballarat East Neighbourhood House and the VRGF.
This is in a city where residents have lost a combined $64.3 million on electronic gaming machines - the pokies - alone.
Ms Genser said it worries her when her grandson plays games like solitaire on his phone and gets annoyed by advertising because those ads can be an easy gateway into something a lot more serious with online gaming and betting.
"The worst thing at the moment is people being able to watch the commercials on television and listen to them on radio," Ms Genser said.
"...If you've got something for [people] to go to, somewhere else, anywhere, then they're happy, they're enjoying it.
"But [pokies is] all they've got, some of these people - and particularly older women and men - they're alone, they're lonely, they go there, they have a cup of coffee or a drink, whatever they want - they used to have a cigarette - but they've got people around them.
"Honestly, going to the pokies is like having a frontal lobotomy because you don't talk to the people around you. I used to go sometimes with friends and we didn't talk to each other.
"We were just busy playing the machines."
The City of Ballarat gambling prevention event will also feature a creative presentation from Three Sides of the Coin. The event focus is how to have a conversation with someone whose gambling was becoming a concern.
Ms Genser said there were plenty of people who could gamble and have fun without any concerns.
Her weekly habit became daily and all-consuming. She lived in Caulfield and would happily travel as far as Dandenong or Geelong to fuel the habit. For 14 years, Ms Genser tried to quit but it was not until the threat of not being able to see her grandson did she stop. There are still times when she has nightmares about the pokies.
Ms Genser continues to call for tighter government restrictions on gambling as the state prepares to introduce its toughest reforms, including a six-hour blockout (10pm to 4am) on pokies venues and a $100 daily limit down from $1000.
City of Ballarat mayor Des Hudson said it was tough because most of the legislation on gaming was in the state government's jurisdiction and online gambling platforms could really be an unregulated "slippery slope".
The city sits below its 664-cap of electronic gaming machines across 14 licenced venues.
Cr Hudson said when it came to venue approvals, the city could take small steps such as trying to ensure venues were typically central and not too close to housing and in trying to work with bodies, such as Cafs, on methods to reduce gambling harm across the city.
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Child and Family Services community engagement and Gamblers Help officer Linda Borner said for every one person who gambles, at least six other people are impacted by that person's gambling.
Cafs' gambling harm minimisation programs include working with schools and educating communities, along with financial and therapeutic counselling for people who gamble and their loved ones.
Ms Borner said gambling did not discriminate and Cafs worked alongside a wide cross-section of the community.
"...The harms that come from gambling really are not just financial, so they can really affect the way that you feel, the way that you behave, your relationships. Everything has a knock on effect," Ms Borner said.
"We're holding this event to raise awareness and we've got some fabulous people with lived experience."
Guest speakers will include Not a Dollar More podcast creator Shayne Rodgers.
Ms Borner said this podcast can be a gentle introduction into recognising concerns in potential gambling harm.
For more details: ballarateastnh.org.au/support/gambling-harm-awareness
If you or someone you know are in need of gambling help:
Gambler's Help: 1800 858 858
Cafs: 1800 692 237
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