CQUniversity Commentary | Ep 12 | High stakes as COVID-19 restrictions relax

Punt-loving Australians gambled away $25 billion in 2019 – but after COVID-19 restrictions shut down pokies venues and limited sports betting options, gambling habits have seen some dramatic shifts. Now as lockdowns begin to lift, CQU gambling and psychology researcher Dr Alex Russell looks at how the community might react as gambling options flood back to pubs, clubs, and online. A senior postdoctoral fellow with CQUniversity’s Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory, Alex warns that stress around health and employment impacts, as well as the injection of government stimulus funds, have created a high-risk environment for people prone to gambling harm. This is episode 12, and the final episode, of CQUniversity Commentary, a podcast and video series from CQUniversity Australia, focusing on issues around COVID-19, and how the global crisis impacts on our communities and lives. Follow CQUniversity Australia on social media for more information. Music: Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/