Nelson Nghe, ‘Home Is Where The Harm Is’, 2024, dimensions variable. Photographer: Richard Tang

Losses Disguised As Wins

Nelson Nghe

Content Warning: This exhibition discusses gambling and its associated harm.

roomsheet

Gambling harm, particularly the phenomenon of "Losses Disguised as Wins," has significant and often overlooked effects on individuals and families, especially when viewed through the lens of a child. This form of harm occurs when electronic gambling machines create the illusion of a win, even as the gambler is actually losing money. The familiar sounds and animations of a genuine win deceive the gambler into believing they are succeeding, intensifying both the emotional and financial consequences of their loss. This deceptive experience is a key element of the broader issue of gambling harm, which disproportionately affects already stressed communities.

Nelson Nghe aims to illuminate the often "invisible" nature of gambling harm, especially its impact on loved ones. Through evocative found objects and images, Nghe reimagines hidden domestic moments, exploring the emotional toll that gambling harm inflicts on those indirectly affected. While substantial research has been conducted on individuals experiencing gambling harm, little attention has been given to its impact on children, who are often silent sufferers. Additionally, there is a critical need to dismantle the shame and stigma surrounding gambling harm, creating space for an open dialogue about its far-reaching consequences - not only for the gambler but also for their families and communities.

Growing up in one of the three local government areas in Western Sydney, which accounts for one-third of all Sydney’s gambling losses despite representing only 16.5 percent of the city's population, Nghe raises crucial questions about this disproportionate loss. His work highlights the intersectional and pervasive nature of gambling harm in certain parts of Australia, where its effects are often overlooked, yet leave a profound and lasting impact on the communities affected. By confronting this public health issue through art, Nghe amplifies the voices of those who suffer in silence and encourages the audience to challenge the societal structures that enable gambling to flourish and persist. The work serves as an urgent call to action, advocating for the denormalisation of gambling in Australian society and urging a re-evaluation of its cultural perception to reduce and prevent the harm it causes.