NSW Uses 3D-Printed Sculpture to Make Gambling Harm Visible

The New South Wales Office of Responsible Gambling has used a 3D-printed sculpture to represent the often-invisible effects of gambling harm.

Developed with advertising agency Think HQ, the project translates descriptions from people affected by gambling into a physical form. Ten models were produced for community events across the Australian state during GambleAware Week, held from October 19-25, 2026. 

The dark, whirlpool-shaped artwork anchors a campaign intended to shift perceptions away from personal blame and towards understanding gambling harm as a public health issue.

Lived Experience Shaped the Design

GambleAware peer support worker Tim Gray helped design the sculpture, drawing on his own experience of gambling harm.

According to the NSW Government, Gray described a whirlpool consuming his money, spirit and happiness, leaving depression, anxiety and isolation behind. That account informed the campaign’s visual representation.

Gray sought help in 2022 through services including GambleAware, individual counselling and group counselling. He now supports others through his role as an Aboriginal Gambling Peer Support Worker at St Vincent’s Hospital.

He said gambling harm can remain invisible and that more open discussion can make it easier for people to seek assistance. 

Campaign Extends Beyond the Sculpture

The physical models were accompanied by video, social media, radio, press and digital advertising, alongside posters and materials for community organisations. The campaign also includes translated communications for selected culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Its intended audience extends beyond people experiencing gambling harm to their families, friends and the wider public.

Office of Responsible Gambling director Alison Parkinson said fear of judgement and the belief that problems should be managed alone can discourage people from seeking support. The campaign seeks to address those barriers through respectful, non-judgemental conversations. 

Additional Funding for Support Services

The NSW Government announced an additional A$1.3 million for GambleAware services this year, intended to expand the network’s locations and recruit more peer support workers.

Gaming and Racing Minister David Harris said the awareness week was an opportunity to recognise gambling harm while highlighting available support. The campaign’s message, “Now we see it, let’s talk about it”, connects the sculpture’s physical representation with that wider objective.