Shame and stigma remain significant barriers preventing people affected by gambling harm from seeking support.
To mark GambleAware Week 2026, the NSW Office of Responsible Gambling has partnered with Think HQ to make the often-unseen impacts of gambling harm visible through a unique lived experience campaign.
At the centre of the campaign is a 3D-printed model created from descriptions shared by people with lived experience of gambling harm, transforming their experiences into a physical representation designed to help spark more open and empathetic conversations.
Developed for GambleAware Week, which runs from 19 – 25 October and aims to increase awareness, the campaign seeks to challenge stigma around gambling harm by highlighting its often-invisible effects and shifting perceptions away from personal blame towards an understanding that gambling harm is a broader public health issue.
Working with people with lived experience, Think HQ and the Office of Responsible Gambling set out to give those experiences a physical form, creating a visual representation of gambling harm that could help people better understand its impact. Ten models have been produced for use at GambleAware community events across NSW, extending the creative idea beyond the campaign’s advertising and communications.
The campaign has been designed to speak to people across NSW, including people who don’t gamble, people who gamble at lower-risk levels, people experiencing gambling harm, and their families, friends and loved ones. It also includes translated communications for selected culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities and messaging designed to work across different forms of gambling.
Think HQ creative director, Wellison D’Assuncao, said, “When we set out to create something unique for a category you never know how it will end up. There are just many unpredictable factors, especially when the subject is so sensitive.
“I’m extremely proud of the outcome, and the positive change that this campaign will surely make to people and their loved ones experiencing gambling harm. Thank you to our clients for backing the idea and the amazing humans that helped craft it to life.”
Alison Parkinson, director, Office of Responsible Gambling, Hospitality and Racing, added, “Stigma remains one of the biggest barriers to seeking support for gambling harm. People often worry about what others will think or they feel they should be able to manage it on their own. The language we use matters. When we talk about gambling harm in a respectful and non-judgemental way, we make it easier for people to reach out for support.
“GambleAware Week is about challenging those attitudes, encouraging open conversations and reminding people that they don’t have to face gambling harm alone.”
The integrated campaign spans 30- and 15-second video, social, radio, press, digital display and digital screens, posters and flyers, alongside editable materials for use by local communities.
GambleAware offers free, confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week for anyone affected by gambling harm, including family members, friends and loved ones. Call 1800 858 858 or visit gambleaware.nsw.gov.au for information, advice and support.
Credits:
Client: Gamble Aware, NSW Office of Responsible Gambling
Alison Parkinson – Director, Office of Responsible Gambling
Tanisha Hutchinson – Manager Strategy & Development, Office of Responsible Gambling
Larissa Chick – Awareness Campaign Manager, Office of Responsible Gambling
Agency: Think HQ
Sarah Wood – Director, Sydney
Wellison D’Assuncao – Creative Director
Kate Shelton – Creative Strategist
Zoe Mamo – Copywriter
Josella Bray – Art Director
Phoebe Lim – Graphic Designer
Tina Tran – Graphic Designer
Ruby Gosbell – Junior Designer
Trish Remigio – Client Director
Caitlin Clarke – Head of Production & Creative Services
Steve Rando – Design Studio Manager
Steve Hacklin – Motion Design Lead Brogan Palmer – Digital Project Manager
Callum Yeo – Sr. Integrated Producer
Jamie Pond – Integrated Producer
Nic Song – Director of Photography
Tim Egan – Editor
Adam Dixon-Galea – Audio Producer
Debbie Shirley – Research and Insights Director
Layla Zain – Insights Manager
