Not Just a Money Matter: Lived, Learned and the Data to Prove It
Tracks
Ballroom 2
| Wednesday, May 14, 2025 |
| 1:15 PM - 1:45 PM |
Overview
Gary Fahey, Strong Men'd
Speaker
Gary Fahey
Founder
Strong Men'd
Not just a money matter: Lived, learned and the data to prove it
Abstract
I had to learn it the hard way, but now I have the data to prove it.
After a 10-year battle with a major depressive disorder and gambling addiction that cost me $2 million, my career, my reputation, and had me seriously considering the value of my own life, I set out to uncover how an educated, successful and resourceful individual could stray so far from the tracks.
It turns out, I wasn’t alone.
The intersection between financial well-being, decision-making, and gambling behaviour is a complex and underexplored area. My journey out of addiction led me to an opportunity with Sydney University’s Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic, taking a deep dive into the research and revealing the complexities and implications of this relationship for people just like me.
Building on my experiences and the literature, an examination of 24,000 Australian-based online wagering customers and approximately 1,500 completed surveys critically analysed behavioural patterns, identifying unique relationships between financial well-being and gambling risk, gambling harm, and gambling behaviour. Early indications offer new insights into the predictors of problematic gambling, laying the groundwork for future research and intervention strategies to reduce gambling-related harms and improve financial well-being.
If facts tell and stories sell, this presentation shares personal anecdotes supported by peer-reviewed literature and new data analysis on a journey from rock bottom to PhD, identifying the shared psychological constructs between gambling and financial well-being and uncovering an unlikely group, perhaps more vulnerable to the perils of problem gambling than previously predicted.
After a 10-year battle with a major depressive disorder and gambling addiction that cost me $2 million, my career, my reputation, and had me seriously considering the value of my own life, I set out to uncover how an educated, successful and resourceful individual could stray so far from the tracks.
It turns out, I wasn’t alone.
The intersection between financial well-being, decision-making, and gambling behaviour is a complex and underexplored area. My journey out of addiction led me to an opportunity with Sydney University’s Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic, taking a deep dive into the research and revealing the complexities and implications of this relationship for people just like me.
Building on my experiences and the literature, an examination of 24,000 Australian-based online wagering customers and approximately 1,500 completed surveys critically analysed behavioural patterns, identifying unique relationships between financial well-being and gambling risk, gambling harm, and gambling behaviour. Early indications offer new insights into the predictors of problematic gambling, laying the groundwork for future research and intervention strategies to reduce gambling-related harms and improve financial well-being.
If facts tell and stories sell, this presentation shares personal anecdotes supported by peer-reviewed literature and new data analysis on a journey from rock bottom to PhD, identifying the shared psychological constructs between gambling and financial well-being and uncovering an unlikely group, perhaps more vulnerable to the perils of problem gambling than previously predicted.
Biography
Gary is a PhD Candidate at the University of Sydney's Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic. He holds a Master of Brain and Mind Sciences and has extensive lived experience with problem gambling.
Founder of Pique Performance, Gary specialises in performance psychology and crisis intervention. His unique Brutal Honesty brand was forged through 18-years with the Australian Federal Police, leading the Australian Prime Minister’s Personal Protection Team and Office of Commissioner; however, his passion for mental strength and resilience was born following his own breakdown.
Gary’s lived and learned experiences drive his focus on developing practical solutions to reduce gambling harm.
