Substance Abuse and Gambling
The World Health Organisation defines ‘substance abuse’ as the harmful use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol, illicit drugs and tobacco.1 The effects of substance abuse are not isolated, and research indicates that heavy consumption of alcohol, drugs and tobacco are closely related to a range of short and long-term health issues. Similarly, like substance use addictions, gambling addiction negatively affects the person, their family and friends, as well as the wider community.
This profile compares levels of substance use, smoking status and gambling amongst Wyndham adults, to adults across Greater Melbourne and Victoria.
All data refers to adults aged 18+ years unless otherwise stated.
Regular, excessive alcohol consumption can, over time, lead to chronic disease such as cancer, cardiac disease and mental illness.
In 2017, almost half the adult population in Wyndham (49.2%) consumed enough alcohol per day to put them at an increased risk of alcohol-related harm. Nevertheless, there are proportionally fewer adults who drink excessively in Wyndham compared to Western Melbourne (54.6%) and Victoria (59.5%). Abstinence rates in Wyndham are higher than in Western Melbourne and Victoria. Almost a third of Wyndham residents abstain (32.2%), compared with a quarter of Western Melbourne residents (25.8%) and a fifth of Victorian residents (21.8%).
Lifetime risk of alcohol-related harm, Wyndham, Western Melbourne and Victoria, 20172
- Wyndham is ranked 7th out of 70 LGAs for gaming machine losses in Victoria (2021/22).
- Gambling losses in Wyndham were greatly affected by COVID-19 lockdowns.
- 3.4% of Victoria’s Electronic Gaming Machine (EGM) venues are located in Wyndham.
- 3.6% of all gambling losses Victoria-wide occur in Wyndham EGMs.
Electronic Gaming Machines, Wyndham and Victoria 2021/223,4
Electronic Gaming Machine Losses, Wyndham 2021/2022 Financial year
| 2019/2020 | Wyndham | Victoria |
| EGM Gambling Losses | $27,952,722 | $777,107,068 |
| EGM Gambling per day | $76,582 | $2,129,060 |
| Losses Per Adult | $150.27 | $155.07 |
| % Change in Losses | -19% | -26% |
Between 2008 and 2014, there was a significant decrease in the proportion of adult Victorians who smoke, and this was the case in Wyndham as well. Between 2014 and 2017 the rate of daily smokers has decreased slightly in Victoria (to 12.4%) and increased in Wyndham from 13.1% to 15.4%.
