{"id":554184,"date":"2026-06-25T22:08:21","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T22:08:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/554184\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T22:08:21","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T22:08:21","slug":"sydney-man-who-gambled-160k-on-lottery-and-pokies-despite-limits-says-more-support-needed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/554184\/","title":{"rendered":"Sydney man who gambled $160k on lottery and pokies despite limits says more support needed"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">A Sydney man who spent more than $160,000 on lottery tickets and poker machines in less than two years says his experience shows &#8220;more needs to be done&#8221; to protect vulnerable community members.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">John, who asked to remain anonymous due to stigma associated with gambling harm, turned to gambling as a form of escape after a series of personal events in his life.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">&#8220;There&#8217;s an irrational thought that you are going to win all this money and get out of the life you&#8217;re currently in and make it all better,&#8221; John said.<\/p>\n<p>Gambling helplines:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"ContentAlignment_marginBottom__4H_6E ContentAlignment_overflowVisible__N2zKU\">\n<li><a class=\"Link_link__kR0xA Link_link__5eL5m ScreenReaderOnly_srLinkHint__OysWz Link_showVisited__C1Fea Link_showFocus__ALyv2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gamblinghelponline.org.au\/\" data-component=\"Link\" data-uri=\"coremedia:\/\/externallink\/100642060\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Gambling Help<\/a> hotline on 1800 858 858<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"Link_link__5eL5m ScreenReaderOnly_srLinkHint__OysWz Link_showVisited__C1Fea Link_showFocus__ALyv2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gambleaware.nsw.gov.au\/\" data-component=\"Link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Gamble Aware NSW<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"Link_link__kR0xA Link_link__5eL5m ScreenReaderOnly_srLinkHint__OysWz Link_showVisited__C1Fea Link_showFocus__ALyv2\" href=\"https:\/\/ndh.org.au\/\" data-component=\"Link\" data-uri=\"coremedia:\/\/externallink\/100642066\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">National Debt Helpline<\/a> on 1800 007 007<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"Link_link__kR0xA Link_link__5eL5m ScreenReaderOnly_srLinkHint__OysWz Link_showVisited__C1Fea Link_showFocus__ALyv2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.org.au\/\" data-component=\"Link\" data-uri=\"coremedia:\/\/externallink\/100642070\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lifeline<\/a> on 131 114<\/li>\n<li>Emergency services on triple-0 if you need immediate care<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">He sought help from a gambling counsellor in 2022.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">But after suffering workplace bullying two years later, he again turned to gambling &#8220;trying to win my way out of this life&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">Records shared with the ABC show despite a previous self-exclusion and online spending controls, John was able to spend almost $125,700 on lottery tickets between February 2024 and September 2025.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"EmphasisedText_quote__TE6kn\"><p>&#8220;Even if my account was set at $100 per week I could go to any newsagent in NSW and purchase literally thousands of dollars of tickets [using the same account],&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>  John said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">&#8220;It is a loophole I assume has been known for some time.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8216;No-one said anything to me&#8217;<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"John wearing a black shirt and jeans sits on a wooden bench at a park looking away from the camera.\" class=\"Image_image__5tFYM ContentImage_image__DQ_cq\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/a9ffd456d7a080f774deb6da8a0d7f3a.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-component=\"Image\" data-lazy=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"Typography_base__sj2RP FigureCaption_text__zDxQ5 Typography_sizeMobile12__w_FPC Typography_lineHeightMobile20___U7Vr Typography_regular__WeIG6 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx\" data-component=\"Typography\">The Sydney man said he was &#8220;trying to win my way out of this life&#8221;. (ABC News: Marcus Stimson)<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">Between October 2024 and September 2025, John said he also lost almost $37,500 on poker machines at The Star casino, including $21,334.97 in September alone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">Despite The Star noting 11 alerts were triggered for John&#8217;s account between July and September, he was not excluded from the venue until he lodged a formal complaint with the operator in the latter month.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">Instead, his membership was upgraded, which he said allowed access to complimentary drinks and higher jackpots.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"EmphasisedText_quote__TE6kn\"><p>&#8220;No-one said anything to me, no-one came up to me, only after I complained my account was suspended and I was excluded,&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>  he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">Correspondence from The Star sent in response to a complaint from John noted he had been physically monitored after nine of the 11 alerts with &#8220;no immediate safter (sic) gambling concerns&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">He could not be found on one occasion, and on another he was asked to take a 15-minute break.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">The letter said he was offered the option to set gaming limits but declined.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">The Star declined to comment.<\/p>\n<p>Complaints investigated, no breaches found<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"John wearing blue jeans and a black shirt walking through a tunnel towards a street.\" class=\"Image_image__5tFYM ContentImage_image__DQ_cq\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/8255f8e336c00841bcd9779fd8d5ff90.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-component=\"Image\" data-lazy=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"Typography_base__sj2RP FigureCaption_text__zDxQ5 Typography_sizeMobile12__w_FPC Typography_lineHeightMobile20___U7Vr Typography_regular__WeIG6 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx\" data-component=\"Typography\">He said his membership at The Star casino was upgraded despite gambling alerts being flagged on his account. (ABC News: Floss Adams)<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">Liquor and Gaming NSW (LGNSW) investigated complaints from John regarding both The Lottery Corporation and The Star and found no breaches of the relevant legislation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">Asked about John&#8217;s experience with The Lottery Corporation, a spokesperson for NSW Gaming and Racing Minister David Harris said: &#8220;The minister has \u2026 requested that [LGNSW] consider whether more stringent consumer protections are required when the legislative framework for the regulation of lotteries is next reviewed.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">A spokesperson for The Lottery Corporation said the company was unable to comment on individual customers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">&#8220;Lotteries are a low-frequency form of gambling generally associated with a very low incidence of gambling harm,&#8221; they said.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"EmphasisedText_quote__TE6kn\"><p>&#8220;However, we recognise that gambling-related harm can occur and remain committed to minimising that risk for our customers.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A man wearing jeans holds a grey credit card between his fingers as he sits on a bench.\" class=\"Image_image__5tFYM ContentImage_image__DQ_cq\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ed2313fde731272071fa274d9b6f4fdf.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-component=\"Image\" data-lazy=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"Typography_base__sj2RP FigureCaption_text__zDxQ5 Typography_sizeMobile12__w_FPC Typography_lineHeightMobile20___U7Vr Typography_regular__WeIG6 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx\" data-component=\"Typography\">John said he mainly used credit cards to fuel his gambling. (ABC News: Marcus Stimson)<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">John&#8217;s gambling was primarily funded through credit cards; money John said he never should have been approved to receive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">He is disputing four credit card debts, totalling about $164,000, through the Australian Financial Complaints Authority with the help of a financial counsellor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">Each of the cards are owned by National Australia Bank (NAB).<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">NAB customer services executive Jocelyn Turner said: &#8220;We encourage anyone who is struggling to reach out early \u2014 we can help with options such as blocking gambling transactions and [providing] access to support.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">John had previously complained to NAB about his gambling transactions in 2020.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A man in a black shirt holds an iPhone in his hand.\" class=\"Image_image__5tFYM ContentImage_image__DQ_cq\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/17a356da6947f33285a0c34a9cdd7494.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-component=\"Image\" data-lazy=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"Typography_base__sj2RP FigureCaption_text__zDxQ5 Typography_sizeMobile12__w_FPC Typography_lineHeightMobile20___U7Vr Typography_regular__WeIG6 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx\" data-component=\"Typography\">John is encouraging others with gambling addictions to seek help from qualified professionals. (ABC News: Marcus Stimson)<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">He encouraged other people concerned about their gambling to seek help from a specialist financial counsellor, without whom, he said he would be &#8220;in a much worse place&#8221;.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"EmphasisedText_quote__TE6kn\"><p>&#8220;There&#8217;s part of me that needs to take responsibility for the situation I&#8217;ve gotten myself into, but these organisations and corporations have a duty of care as well, for their customers, for society, for human beings,&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>  he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">&#8220;The lack of empathy, care, lack of financial support for people who hit rock bottom with nowhere to go; more needs to be done.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A Sydney man who spent more than $160,000 on lottery tickets and poker machines in less than two&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":554185,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[276],"tags":[237284,149282,98096,18,5256,55124,135,19,17,4167,137650,237283,237277,167,502,825,30631,237285,237279,38781,237282,237278,137649,202903,237281,237280],"class_list":["post-554184","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mental-health","tag-australian-financial-complaints-authority","tag-citibank","tag-complaints","tag-eire","tag-gambling","tag-gambling-harm","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-legislation","tag-liquor-and-gaming-nsw","tag-lottery-regulation","tag-lottery-tickets","tag-mental-health","tag-mentalhealth","tag-money","tag-nab","tag-national-australia-bank","tag-newsagent","tag-nsw","tag-nsw-gaming-and-racing-minister-david-harris","tag-online-spending-controls","tag-poker-machines","tag-self-exclusion","tag-the-lottery-corporation","tag-the-star-casino"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/554184","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=554184"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/554184\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/554185"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=554184"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=554184"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=554184"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}