Highlights of Jurisdictional Activities against key focus areas and strategies
Commonwealth Government
Over the last five years, the Commonwealth Government has contributed approximately $2.7 million for research into problem gambling. This has been done through research commissioned through FaHCSIA and Gambling Research Australia (GRA).
The Commonwealth Government announced on 24 November 2008 that the Productivity Commission will undertake a 12 month public inquiry into Australia’s gambling industries, which will update its 1999 Inquiry. The Commission’s final report is scheduled to be provided in November 2009.
The Commonwealth Government collaborated with the State and Territory Governments in the development of two national services for people affected by problem gambling: a national 1800 gambling counselling helpline, and a national website for online treatment of problem gamblers.
The Commonwealth Government has forged a new partnership with the State and Territory Governments through a reinvigorated Ministerial Council on Gambling (MCG). At its first meeting for nearly two years in July 2008, the MCG agreed to commence work immediately on a number of high priority areas, which include access to cash and pre-commitment technologies; responsible gaming environments; and better consumer protection for poker machine players. The MCG is scheduled to meet again in July 2009 to agree upon a national program of action against these priority areas.
The Commonwealth Government has continued to provide secretariat support to the MCG through the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA). The MCG Secretariat has also convened meetings of MCG Officials, who report to their respective State and Territory Government Ministers. These meetings were held in July 2008, November 2008, September 2008 (teleconference) and February 2009.
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has conducted a number of multi-media problem gambling awareness and education campaigns. For example, the ACT has developed and distributed a range of gambling information and education brochures which are displayed in all ACT gambling venues, (available in six community languages) and has developed a dedicated problem gambling website.
Self-exclusion schemes are required to be in place and appropriately documented at all gambling venues, including the advice that exclusion from multiple venues can take place through one application at one venue. New gaming machine licence applications, or applications from existing licensees to increase or relocate gaming machine operations, are required to conduct a Social Impact Assessment, including a mandatory six week period for public consultation.
The ACT’s mandatory Code of Practice (introduced in December 2002) has been evaluated and further developed, to ensure relevance and appropriate operation. National Standards on Gaming Machine Design and on the Advertising of Gambling have been adopted. The Code of Practice requires a range of venue-based interventions, for example, restrictions on access to cash, information for players such as odds of winning major prizes, environmental design features such as adequate lighting and licensee-initiated exclusions. In addition, each gambling venue must have a trained Gambling Contact Officer to deal with problem gambling issues.
Funding by the ACT Government through the Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services (DDHCS) is provided to community organisations such as Lifeline and Care Inc. for gambling and financial counselling and support services, and to ensure that counsellors and community workers in problem gambling services have appropriate training.
The ACT Gambling and Racing Commission has sponsored, funded and released reports on a range of problem gambling research projects, such as Adolescent Gambling, Help Seeking by Gamblers, Friends and Families in the ACT: A Focus on Cultural and Gender Issues, and a Review of the ACT Government’s Harm Minimisation Measures. The Government has also provided assistance in conjunction with Lifeline and Care Inc, to Oz Help in developing the ‘Budgeting and Responsible Gambling Module’ of its Lifeskills Program. The ACT also has provided assistance and encouragement in the development of the gambling industry and service provider relationships, such as “Clubcare”, a partnership between Lifeline and 26 gaming venues.
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New South Wales
In NSW a major awareness campaign targeting young males was developed and ran during the second half of 2008. Following evaluation it is expected to be run again in 2009. The campaign entitled “Gambling Hangover” arises from the NSW 2006 prevalence study which found that young males, 18-24 years, employed but with low to moderate incomes, were seen as being at particular risk for problem gambling. The campaign aimed to increase awareness of problem gambling among young males, to create dissatisfaction with problem gambling, and provide self-help strategies for changing behaviour including where to get help.
To support the aim of the Gambling Hangover campaign a new website was launched. The Gambling Hangover website (www.gamblinghangover.nsw.gov.au) provides a range of interactive tools to access and manage problem gambling. The campaign also involved partnerships with relevant organisations to help promote the Gambling Hangover campaign at a local level.
NSW has also funded an online educational resource called “Gambling: Calculating the Risk” (www.powerhousemuseum.com/gambling) that demonstrates the mechanics of gambling, including the mathematical probability of winning, and the potential social costs. The site employs a range of strategies that aim to engage players in active learning such as data analysis, problem solving, role play and debate. It is targeted at school students and their teachers but has also found an audience amongst problem gambling counsellors and their clients.
A Local Impact Assessment process, together with state-wide caps, are key elements in the overall framework designed to control the unrestrained growth in the number of gaming machines, particularly in regions of economic and social disadvantage.
NSW laws generally prohibit the advertising or promotion of gaming machines. Advertisements for products other than gaming machines, while permitted, are subject to various controls.
NSW legislation requires a variety of responsible gambling information to be provided within all gambling venues to assist people – including those not conversant in English – make an informed choice about if, or for how long, they should engage in various gambling activities, and to alert them to the availability of help if it leads to problems. Following a recent review into their effectiveness, revised and new gambling information brochures and signage has been developed.
NSW is also developing a DVD to explain exactly how gaming machines work and detailing the player’s chances of winning. The DVD would act as an important tool to dispel superstitions about gaming machines. The DVD will be available on the web, through counselling services and also carry 6 CALD languages.
NSW funds the delivery of problem gambling counselling and support services. These comprise the 24-hour G-line (NSW) telephone counselling and referral service; five multi-region services offering specialist assistance for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) and communities and a statewide Indigenous service providing a range of workforce development and awareness raising initiative; three specialist support services, providing, respectively, training programs for gambling counsellors, expert legal advice for individuals and services on gambling-related matters, and advice and advocacy on gambling issues as they affect people with disabilities; and funding for 38 individual services operating face-to-face counselling services. An Internet-based ‘Client Data Set’ has been established to facilitate the consistent and uniform collection of data on a client-by-client basis for those accessing the NSW funded counselling services.
NSW laws provide for gaming machine players with a ‘player account’ to set a weekly limit on the amount of expenditure from that account. Other expenditure-based controls include prohibitions on the availability or use of credit to finance participation in gaming activities; prohibitions on placing ATM facilities within gaming venues; limiting to $1,000 in cash the maximum amount that is won from a gaming machine, with the remainder paid to the player by cheque or electronic funds transfer to a nominated account; and restricting the cashing of cheques within gaming machine venues.
Other NSW laws: ban 24-hour gaming in hotels and registered clubs through a six-hour daily gaming machine shutdown; ban gaming machine venues from offering free or discounted liquor as an inducement to play; require clocks to be installed in gaming machine areas; and generally prohibit hotels and registered clubs engaging in any type of conduct that “has encouraged, or is likely to encourage, the misuse and abuse of gambling activities in the hotel or club”.
The Centre for Community Welfare Training (CCWT) has been engaged to train workers in funded gambling counselling and support services. A clinical supervision project has been progressed. The policy framework outlines a number of strategic directions involving the provision of, and standards and support for, clinical supervision for those who work in the gambling counselling sector
A minimum qualification for counsellors, the Diploma of Problem Gambling Counselling, was developed in partnership with the NSW Community Services and Health Industry Training Advisory Board. The qualification consists of 13 nationally accredited general community service units and 3 problem gambling-specific units.
Funded counselling services in NSW are required to undergo an accreditation process, which aims to ensure that a continuous quality improvement cycle is incorporated into the management and delivery of services, resulting in better outcomes for service users.
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Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (NT) has continued to develop a range of initiatives that target Indigenous and CALD communities. For example, a community awareness campaign about problem gambling was conducted which included television, radio and newspaper advertisements and the distribution of print media at gaming venues. The Territory continued the dissemination of print materials, including self help booklets and other resources, in 12 languages, to specific cultural organizations. Workshops were held with community members, Indigenous leaders and health workers in urban and remote Indigenous communities, and education sessions have been provided to General Practitioners, Indigenous Health Workers and staff in a variety of human service agencies across the NT.
Following a study of the voluntary implementation of the Northern Territory Code of Practice for Responsible Gambling, in June 2006, this Code of Practice became a mandatory regulation for all gambling providers. A Community Impact Analysis is required of all applications for new or expanded gambling opportunities.
Support and treatment services for problem gamblers provided in the NT include personal and financial counseling, a 24 hour toll free help line, and a website with access to gambling self-management resources. Funding has also been allocated to conduct ‘Wise Use of Money’ workshops throughout 19 remote Central Australian Indigenous communities, and for the provision of self-help material in five community languages.
A gambling research centre has been established at Charles Darwin University. The focus of the initial series of research projects is on gambling among Indigenous people, features of gambling in the broader community and policy responses.
A cap on community gaming machine numbers, (in clubs and hotels), across the Northern Territory has been introduced. The cap is 1,190 and is equivalent to the current number of approved community gaming machines entitlements.
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Queensland
As part of the continued implementation of Queensland’s Responsible Gambling Communication Strategy, market research was undertaken on signage at gambling venues, and a new signage strategy developed and implemented. In addition, research has commenced to inform the development of campaign messages targeting Indigenous and CALD communities.
The highly effective Problem Gambling Communications Campaign ‘Wanna Bet’ was re-run in 2008 and the Community Awareness Campaign will be refreshed in 2009.
The Responsible Gambling Education program was enhanced through such initiatives as the Responsible Gambling Professional Development Program for Teachers and the introduction of six new Mathematics modules aimed at raising awareness of the risks of gambling among Year 5-12 students. A further market research project is underway to develop a suite of resources for health workers.
The Player Information Research Project was undertaken to determine how best to provide low and moderate risk electronic gaming machine (EGM) players with meaningful and effective information in order to make informed decisions. Technical Standards for new gaming machines were amended to incorporate requirements for an information button and a player information screen displaying the chances of winning the major prize in an easy to understand narrative format.
An evaluation of two card-cased gaming trials is underway to establish pre-commitment as a measure for players to restrict the amount of money and time spent on gaming machines.
Queensland has promoted the availability of venue-based interventions for gamblers by displaying signage and brochures to alert customers about self-exclusion programs. Designated Customer Liaison Officers are also available on site to assist with exclusion or any responsible gambling issue.
Since 2002 the Government has funded 13 face-to-face counselling services across the State as well as a 24 hour Helpline service and an in-patient treatment facility. New funding and service agreements are being negotiated with the Gambling Help Services (GHS), with an extra GHS also being tendered for to cover the Longreach area.
Queensland is exploring needs and options for culturally sensitive gambling help services and education, and supports initiatives for the prevention of problem gambling in Queensland’s Culturally and Linguistically Diverse and Indigenous communities. Consultants are undertaking gambling related needs analyses of these communities.
Queensland has signed a Memorandum of Understanding which commits support of a National Online Gambling Counselling Service being developed by Turning Point. Queensland is also commencing the phasing in of the new National Gambling Helpline 1800 number which replaces the State 1800 number.
A self-help manual to be used as an adjunct to face-to-face counselling has been developed and distributed to all Gambling Help services. The target market for this product is problem gamblers and their friends and families. A pilot program will see brochures and self-help manuals delivered to doctors’ surgeries in South-East Queensland via Info-med, a patient information service.
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South Australia
South Australia has continued to promote safe gambling with Phase Two of its media campaign Think of What You’re Really Gambling With, implemented in May 2006. This includes television, print and radio advertising, targeting six CALD communities across the State as well as the general community. Material appropriate to Indigenous communities was developed jointly with South Australian Indigenous agencies.
South Australia promoted Gambling Awareness Week in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and has developed its problem gambling website to educate and inform gamblers and their families. Responsible Gambling Educationprojects were implemented across a number of school districts by the Department of Education and Children’s Services, and the Community Education Grants Scheme has continued to provide opportunities to raise community awareness of problem gambling.
Under South Australia’s Advertising Code of Practice gambling advertising must provide information to enable the consumer to understand the chances of winning. Responsible gambling posters and pamphlets must be displayed in all gaming areas and must be available in Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Italian and Vietnamese as well as English. Revised Codes of Practice commenced on 1 December 2008.
South Australia’s Minister for Gambling established the SA Responsible Gambling Working Party in November 2006, a collaborative forum of representatives from the gaming industry, community and government. South Australia has commenced a multi-venue trial of card-based pre-commitment system. The evaluation will be conducted by South Australia’s Responsible Gambling Working Party.
Assessment guides and training programs are being developed by the South Australian Divisions of General Practice Inc with funding from the Gamblers Rehabilitation Fund. The guides will be distributed to member GPs and other allied health workers including Practice Nurses and Mental Health Clinicians. This will help with the identification and treatment of patients experiencing problem gambling. In addition a new state-wide Gambling Therapy Service was promoted to health and welfare professionals.
South Australia’s Independent Gambling Authority (IGA) has instituted a research project to measure the impacts of South Australia’s Responsible Gambling Code of Practice as well as other responsible gambling initiatives.
The SA Gamblers RehabilitationFund provides funding to twenty-two agencies, including non-government and government agencies, for the delivery of Gambling Help Services for people affected by problem gambling. Gambling Help Services in SA provide assistance in both metropolitan and country areas. There are specialist services for specific population groups which operate at a statewide level. Information about gambling counselling services and contact numbers are required to be displayed in gambling venues, on gaming machines and on or near ATM and EFTPOS facilities in venues.
In addition to the national research commitment through the Ministerial Council and Gambling Research Australia, South Australia undertakes a range of gambling research, primarily through its Independent Gambling Authority. The Department for Families and Communities conducted a study into Gambling Prevalence in South Australia which was completed in May 2006.
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Tasmania
The Gaming Control Act 1993 requires the Treasurer to cause an independent review of the social and economic impacts of gambling in Tasmania every three years. The South Australian Centre for Economic Studies completed the first study which was finalised in June 2008. The Tasmanian Treasurer referred the findings of the study to the Tasmanian Gaming Commission for a policy response. The Tasmanian Gaming Commission’s report has been provided to community and industry stakeholders for comment. The government will then determine appropriate policy responses to minimise the harm caused by problem gambling.
The 2005 Tasmanian Prevalence Study indicated that the 18-24 age group had four times the rate of ‘at risk’ gambling compared to its population proportion. New media campaigns and other interventions, therefore, have focussed on this group, such as with a cartoon style media campaign with both prevention and intervention messages.
The Social and Economic Impact Study into Gambling and associated prevalence study (2008), revealed a shift in gambling demographics to include older age groups. The Study also found an association between communities that are more disadvantaged (on the SEIFA index), and the regional concentration of gaming machines, net player loss and calls to the gambling helpline.
The Gambling Support Program will adjust its community education strategy in line with these findings.
Gambling Support Program educators delivered educational sessions to Year 11/12 students in schools around the State, and further promoted the teaching kit for Tasmanian high schools. Tasmania is reviewing its Responsible Conduct of Gambling training program for employees in the gaming sector, with a view to delivering a more consistent curriculum and aligning the program to national standards.
Gambling services in Tasmania include the Gambling Helpline, face-to-face counselling for individuals, couples or families; financial counselling; and facilitated group support. Counselling services are available during working hours in the larger Tasmanian centres and are free, with counsellors regularly visiting some smaller centres. The Gambling Helpline is available 24 hours a day and can provide crisis management and referral to a client’s local services. It has been expanded to provide an increased emphasis on telephone counselling and a wider range of services, including email counselling, chat room facilities and ‘warm’ referrals to the local gambling support services.
During 2006-07, a review of the Tasmanian Gaming Exclusions Scheme (TGES) was undertaken. The Review examined the limitations of the existing Scheme and recommended options for improved delivery based on models of best practice. The recommendations of the report have been endorsed by the Tasmanian Gaming Commission and are being implemented progressively. An online database is now in place, allowing more rapid and accurate processing of self-exclusions and revocations.
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Victoria
The Taking action on problem gambling strategy sets out the framework and strategy being undertaken by the Victorian Government over a five year period to tackle problem gambling. This involves providing a safer gambling environment and improving treatment services for problem gamblers. The Government has amended the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 to require major gambling providers to have a Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct that has been approved by the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation. State-wide and regional caps have been placed on the number of gaming machines permitted, and access to cash from ATMs and EFTPOS in gaming venues is limited. By 2012 the Victorian Government will require the removal of ATMs from all gaming venues and within 50 metres from the casino gaming floor. In the meantime, a limit of $400 in daily cash withdrawals from ATMs in gaming venues will be required from 2010.
Gaming machines must now display clear and unambiguous instructions, clearly display the time of day on a machine, not allow a person to bet more that $5 per spin and not accept $100 notes.
A statewide community awareness campaign ‘Think of what you’re really gambling with’ has been developed and implemented. The Problem Gambling Communication and Partnerships strategies have developed partnerships between government, industry and the community, that have delivered community awareness campaigns and activities. These have been designed to reach a broad range of people within the Victorian population, taking into account the diversity of demographic groups. This has included some campaigns and services specifically for Indigenous Australians and Australians from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. Player Information Displays providing information about machines, and sessions of play are now accessible on most electronic gaming machines and have been actively promoted by government and the Victorian gaming operators.
In October 2008, a new campaign commenced, “Take the problem out of Gambling”, which adopts a social marketing approach to crisis intervention. The campaign aims to drive help seeking to the new national Helpline 1800 number as well as encouraging a broader public understanding of service mix and success rates. It has recorded a 55% increase in calls to services and was launched via television, radio, print and in-venue. A new website was designed as part of the campaign, with simplified messages and calls to action targeted at crisis intervention. On 1 July 2008, a new innovative community education model was introduced to build community and individual resilience. The model is delivered via two avenues – the existing structure of the Department of Human Services Primary Care Partnerships Integrated health Promotion strategy and the Gambler’s Help services community education program. Together, the two avenues promote social inclusion and social connectedness by addressing the social determinants of health and problem gambling co-morbidities, raise the awareness of risks associated with problem gambling, promote the help services available and educate other health and welfare professionals about the diagnosis, referral and support of problem gamblers and their family and friends.
Resources for school counselors, health and welfare workers have been developed and distributed to assist them in addressing problem gambling issues in their practice. All staff employed in the gaming machine areas must undertake training in the responsible service of gambling. A self-exclusion program has been piloted, and an after-hours service is being developed. Information about the availability of treatment and support services is advertised in all gaming venues in the state.
Gambler’s Help Services provide problem gambling counselling, problem gambling financial counselling, material aid (Recovery Assistance Program), and local community education activities across the state. Counselling services are delivered from over 100 outlets and include the provision of mobile, outreach and after-hours services and appropriate problem gambling services for CALD and Indigenous communities. Gambler’s Help Services are being redeveloped to improve and standardise casework practice. Victoria has led the way in coordinating help line services by initiating the development of a standard 1800 help line number.
Persons employed in the gaming machine area of a gaming venue or casino are required to complete an approved training course within the first six months of commencing employment and to undertake an approved refresher course at least once every three years thereafter. The Centre for Excellence in Problem Gambling Treatment has been established as a joint venture between the University of Melbourne and Monash University to conduct research into problem gambling treatment, in order to develop new clinical practices. This Centre will also train new and existing staff in gamblers’ help services and establish a postgraduate qualification in problem gambling treatment.
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Western Australia
In Western Australia a problem gambling community awareness campaign was developed during the reporting period and commenced on 13 July 2007. The campaign had a strong regional focus to alert remote and regional communities about the availability of the Gambling Helpline and other treatment and support services. Gambling Help WA, the service provider for problem gambling counselling services, is required under its contract to establish collaborate links throughout the community, in particular, with alcohol and drug counsellors and regional financial counsellors.
The Gaming and Wagering Commission requires a social and economic impact assessment to be submitted with proposals that may result in expansion of/or new gambling opportunities. Codes of practice for responsible gambling have been implemented by the Burswood Entertainment Complex and Racing and Wagering Western Australia for its TAB wagering operations.
The Burswood Entertainment Complex and the Racing Wagering Western Australia conduct staff training for new employees, which includes training in responsible service of gambling. These sessions are also attended by Gambling Help WA counsellors. The Burswood Entertainment complex has also introduced a mandatory on-line training program for all employees. In May 2006 the Complex also re-launched its responsible gambling code of practice Bet With Your Head Not Over It and has established a Responsible Gambling Management Committee to administer the code of practice and to provide strategic direction for the responsible service of gambling program.
Western Australia funded the Problem Gambling Helpline to provide a 24 hour crises counselling and referral service for people affected by problem gambling, as well as ongoing case management specifically targeted at people living in regional, rural and remote parts of Australia. Free face-to-face counselling is also offered to clients in the metropolitan area.
Western Australia’s Problem Gambling Support Services Committee, which is committed to undertaking a research project to identify those Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) populations within Western Australia for which gambling is a significant problem, has deferred this project until Gambling Research Australia has completed its research on this topic, therefore avoiding duplication of research.