A new report from forensic accountants Warfield and Associates estimates that Australian gamblers are responsible for $269 million in fraud-related theft over the last decade.
The problem is worst in Victoria, where more than 150 gamblers are said to have stolen $102 million since 1998. NSW is second with $71 million stolen, followed by Queensland with $25 million.
Warfield and Associates says poker machine addiction is responsible for more fraud than any other form of gambling, with more than 200 player stealing $64 million over the ten-year period.
The report also notes that an "overwhelming majority" of compulsive gamblers had no history of dishonesty and would not have been detected by employer screening.