This week is Gambling Harm Awareness Week, and the Problem Gambling Foundation (PGF Services) is launching The Bet, a new podcast series sharing real stories of gambling harm and recovery.

Each of the five episodes captures a personal journey, reflecting the diversity of experiences and the resilience of those who have faced harm from gambling products.

Andrée Froude, Director Advocacy and Communications at PGF Services, says by amplifying these voices, we aim to reduce stigma, encourage open conversations, and empower people to seek help if they need it.

“Gambling harm does not look the same for everyone — it impacts people in different ways.”

“This podcast is not about statistics or policy — it’s human stories that are powerful, bold and raw – they come from the heart, and each person has something unique to share,” she says.

PGF Services created the podcast with the aim of breaking down stigma, building awareness and understanding, and encouraging people to seek help if they need it.

Andree Froude says this podcast shows what gambling harm really looks like and we hope people walk away with more awareness about the issue.

“Gambling harm is a serious public health issue, not an individual one – it is shaped by much bigger factors: the accessibility of gambling products, the way they’re designed, and the environments where they’re promoted,” she says.

“Most importantly, the personal stories on this podcast capture the realities of gambling harm while showing that hope and change are possible.”

The Bet was produced for PGF Services by Te Pūrongo Productions – Adam Dudding and Eugene Bingham.

You can listen to The Bet on Spotify, Apple or on your favourite podcast platform.

About PGF Services

PGF Services delivers treatment and public health services nationwide, offering free, confidential counselling, peer support, and advice to anyone impacted by gambling harm. Our teams work alongside communities to raise awareness, build resilience, and advocate for policy change that prevents and minimises harm in Aotearoa New Zealand. www.pgf.nz

Gambling harm in New Zealand

• About one in five people in New Zealand will experience harm in their lifetime due to their own or someone else’s gambling. (Strategy to Prevent and Minimise Gambling Harm 2025/6 to 2027/8)
• Nearly half of all gambling harm comes from “low risk’ gambling (Measuring the Burden of Gambling Harm in New Zealand 2017)
• The 2023/24 New Zealand Gambling Survey (NZGS) shows that overall, 64.1% of New Zealand adults aged 15 and over participated in gambling activities in the 12 months before the survey. About 31.1% of adults reported gambling online (via New Zealand or offshore providers). (Sourced from Ministry of Health Aide-Mémoire)
• Gambling harm is inequitably distributed in New Zealand. The 2023/24 New Zealand Gambling Survey found that Māori, Pacific, some Asian communities, and young people are more likely to be affected. (Strategy to Prevent and Minimise Gambling Harm 2025/6 to 2027/8)

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