The Service

Gambling Care Service includes financial counselling. Clients of the Financial Counselling Service do not need to have a gambling problem.

Financial pressure may contribute to an urge to gamble. People with a gambling problem may have experienced a win as being a way to pay debts in the past. Financial Counselling may help the problem gambler see a way through their financial difficulties without having to gamble and win. A financial counsellor is able to support the client to implement strategies to deal with a difficult financial situation.

Financial counsellors can help individuals and families to organise their household finances in such a way as to limit damage from problem gambling behaviour. They can also support the problem gambler in reducing the opportunity to gamble if they have decided to abstain from gambling.

How Can Financial Counselling Help?

Financial Counselling can:

• assist clients assess the extent of their financial difficulty
• provide information about options around debts and where appropriate assist clients in putting requests for assistance to creditors
• provide information about joint assets and liabilities for members of a couple
• assist in preparing a budget and implementing cash and credit control measures to support control over spending
• explore the sustainability of the clients financial position and ways of achieving change
• provide information on entitlements, concessions and other resources available to clients
• provide information about consumers rights and responsibilities in regard to any of their financial commitments, including information about consumer protection, debt recovery and bankruptcy law
• provide information about internal and external dispute resolution processes and regulatory bodies
• through listening and support allow clients to empower themselves with greater control over their financial resources so they are better equipped to deal with future challenges

Client Profile

Clients can be still at school with a large mobile phone bill, or clients may be having difficulty managing on an age pension and anywhere in between. Our clients include people with a gambling problem, people harmed or at risk financially from a problem gamblers behaviour (this is most often their families) and people whose financial difficulties are not related to problem gambling. Often these clients have been through life changing circumstances such as loss or change of employment, ending of a relationship, illness etc.

Issues of Concern

• Demands for a flexible workforce, but inflexible financial commitments
• High cost of both home ownership and rental
• Ready availability of credit and consumer oriented lifestyles

The growing complexity of financial products and decisions yet little financial literacy training available

Social Isolation

Many people find it difficult to talk about financial difficulty with friends or family.  Social isolation can reduce peoples capacity to deal with new stressors. Our service provides a confidential environment in which to talk with an accredited financial counsellor with training in both the technical and counselling aspects of the work.

Relationship Breakdown

Financial distress is a major contributor to relationship conflict and breakdown. Where a couple’s goals are the same, our financial counsellor can work with couples experiencing financial difficulties. 

Separation, property settlement, child support, establishing two households instead of one, joint financial commitments and a reduction in income can add to the distress of separating families.

Problem gambling and other out of control spending can damage trust within relationships. A financial counsellor can help a couple plan their finances in such a way as to encourage trust, transparency and accountability in household finances.

Analysis/Reflection

Often clients present at our service understandably distressed. This stress usually reduces a person’s capacity to manage their situation even if they have been able to in the past. This can make it even more difficult to find solutions and people often feel trapped. 

Having someone listen to their individual circumstances, provide information, explore options with them and assist as necessary can really help people to take control over a difficult financial position. Even if the change involves loss of assets and a change in lifestyle a financial counsellor can support people through the process.

To speak with or make a referral to a financial counsellor call Lifeline Canberra ph 02 6247 0655