Helping multicultural families reconnect after a gambling crisis
- deansimpson7
- Sep 23
- 6 min read
Rebuilding multicultural family relationships after gambling them away can be tough, very tough. When gambling becomes a form of escape, it often brings family violence in its wake. And when it tears families apart, the damage runs far deeper than lost money. But there is hope. In Part 3 of her series on gambling harms, Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH spent a morning with the team from the Salvos Gambling Support Service and leaders from a diverse mix of Victoria’s multicultural organisations to take part in a special workshop focused on rebuilding trust, restoring families and opening doors to support those impacted by gambling and family violence.
GAMBLING HARMS Part One: Gambling Support Service – new name, same committed service
GAMBLING HARMS Part Two: The addiction invading young lives
Families torn apart by gambling-related harm and family violence in multicultural communities are suffering in silence.
But key players in Victoria’s multicultural communities – including service providers and advocates – are determined and united to change this sobering fact and drive positive change thanks to a special interactive workshop.
Hosted by The Salvation Army Gambling Support Service and the Multicultural Women’s Alliance Against Family Violence (MWAAFV), the ‘Rebuilding Family Relationships After Gambling Them Away’ workshop focused on practical strategies that have helped multicultural families reconnect after crisis. Additionally, it featured shared lived experiences from counsellors and those directly impacted by gambling harms and family violence.
“A lot of family violence is happening as a result of gambling harms, unfortunately – and we see it everywhere,” said Michael Kheirallah, Manager of The Salvation Army’s Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Gambling Support Service.
“It is a massive problem, especially for the multicultural community. We see it through the counselling we provide to the family or to the affected person. Gambling and family violence are well-connected. So, the aim of the workshop was to get the message out and educate those community leaders about gambling harms and to know where to go and who to approach to receive help. We provided them with our contact details to give them a better idea how to refer clients or to get help when they need it.”
Key Victorian multicultural agencies gathered together for the event held at the Kathleen Syme Library and Community Centre in Melbourne’s CBD on 27 August. The list was extensive.
Attendees included the Bakhtar Community Organisation, Gambling Harm Lived Experience Experts, the MWAAFV, Ethnic Community Council of Victoria, Gambling Harm Lived Experience Experts, SBS Radio, Women’s Information and Referral Exchange (WIRE), Filipino Community Council of Victoria, Friends For Good, Melbourne City Council, and the Victorian Multicultural Commission.
Conversations focused on an array of topics, including the economic abuse associated with gambling, family violence and its link to gambling as a form of escape, and how counsellors address the coercive acts resulting from gambling following the criminalisation of coercive control in NSW and Queensland.
Experts from The Salvation Army’s Gambling Support Service guided the sessions, blending clinical expertise with powerful stories of survival, healing and resilience.
Jane’s story One powerful testimony was given by Jane*, a migrant, who shared her story of gambling and family violence. She recalled meeting her “dream guy”. However, unbeknownst to her, behind that charm was a gambler. The ensuing years were to be dominated by gambling and family violence.
“Every dollar he touched vanished into casinos, pubs, clubs, horse racing and the TAB,” she recalled.
“To feed his addiction, he lied, he borrowed, he stole ... When confronted, he always denied it. He was clever with words … Arguments became a constant occurrence … When I tried to leave him, that’s when the real battle started. Addiction left me mentally, emotionally and financially broken. I lived in fear.”
Jane’s husband was eventually jailed for a period of time. It gave Jane space to “breathe and to become human.”
Counselling and trauma therapy changed her life, too.
“I am no longer ashamed,” she emphasised to workshop participants. “Life today is full of love, happiness, empowerment and gratitude. I have learned to trust and respect myself. My journey taught me who I am. Life is beautiful. Remove toxic people from your life. Stand up for yourself, surround yourself with positive voices and most importantly, learn to say no.”
Workshop benefits Professor Supriya Singh, Co-chair of the Multicultural Women’s Alliance Against Family Violence and Adjunct Professor, Department of Social Inquiry, La Trobe University, said the workshop was important because it helped the participants recognise that “problem gambling is family violence.”
“It was also useful to give hope that counselling can help rebuild trust and families,” she said.
“The Multicultural Women’s Alliance Against Family Violence is an advocacy organisation. We advocate for more culturally specific funding, services and resources to prevent and address family violence. We also seek to learn how different multicultural communities have successfully addressed family violence.”
Patterns are emerging with most regions hit hardest by gambling harm also home to large multicultural populations where gambling is often woven into cultural and social norms, Michael added.
Topping the list of regions losing the most money each day to gambling is Brimbank City Council, which ranks highest across Victoria, with local residents losing around $450,000 daily. The municipality has one of the most diverse multicultural populations in the state.
“A lot of people from multicultural backgrounds who come to Australia feel isolated,” reflected Michael.
“There is no social connection, and that’s why they find gambling venues attractive, as they can be open for almost 18 hours a day. They can go there and they feel welcome. They are served free tea and coffee and a welcoming environment, so it’s very attractive to them. Then they start bringing friends. Sometimes they bring their family and end up spending big on those venues, and that’s where they can experience a lot of issues, especially with mental health. Family violence, drugs and alcohol can lead to so many different issues, unfortunately.”
Sarah’s story Few people understand the pull of gambling machines and venues better than Sarah*, a mother of three.
Growing up in Melbourne, she started gambling in her late teens, at first just for fun. In her Lebanese culture, casual card games and betting were part of everyday life. But over time, the losses stacked up.
Sarah lost more than $100,000. Her husband was also incarcerated, partly due to gambling.
“It’s just the machines. It’s just a light. That’s all it is,” Sarah remarked. “We used to say if we were ever tired at Crown Casino, they must put something in the air because you don’t feel tired. I don’t know what it is, but once you walk into those places, you are fully awake. You just gravitate toward it. It just sucks you in.”
Sarah’s turning point came when she finally reached out for help. Support from the Gambling Support Service became the foundation for rebuilding her relationships and reclaiming stability.
But for many in multicultural communities, seeking help is far from easy. Stigma and fear of shame continue to be powerful barriers, Michael emphasised.
“If you have been identified as a gambler, you know you’ll be isolated,” he said.
“You will know that they will struggle within their own culture. So, that’s why it’s important to raise this awareness within multicultural communities, to know exactly how to seek help and to encourage family members of anyone they know who needs help, to encourage them to come and seek help. That was the whole aim of our workshop. We wanted to reach out to as many multicultural agencies as possible.”
The Victorian Multicultural Commission is a key organisation within the State Government, along with the Ethnic Community Council of Victoria, which represents many different organisations within the multicultural community.
Their presence at the workshop, Michael commented, was important – not only to gain insight into the services offered by the Salvos, but also to fully understand the ripple effect gambling harm has in multicultural communities.
And feedback from workshop participants was overwhelmingly positive.
“They were very engaged and willing to learn and listen,” he remarked. “So, this is a great outcome. I think we met that expectation to fully understand what gambling harms can cause to a lot of people. So, we were really pleased to see those people at the workshop. They have been willing to take the message back to the community or the people they work with and probably will see some results in the near future, by getting some clients, who urgently need help, referred to our service.”
*Not their real names to protect their confidentiality.
For more information on The Salvation Army’s Gambling Support Service, click here: Phone: 03 9653 3250. The service offers financial and therapeutic counselling, community engagement and venue support.
