REDUCING HARMFUL GAMBLING A PRIORITY
It was great to see clubs across Queensland involved in Gambling
Harm Awareness Week in July with venues and Gambling Help service (GHS) providers coming together to support all Queenslanders, particularly those most vulnerable, to gamble safely.
It provided a timely reminder of the importance of the relationship between venues and GHS providers.
Gambling Help Community Educator David McAnalen said venues play a vital role in connecting their patrons with GHS providers.
“Venues are incredibly important community partners for GHS
providers
to
have,
as
they
see
more
people
with
poor relationships with gambling each day than the GHS does,” Mr McAnalen said.
To help minimise gambling harm, it is important that your staff are aware of their local GHS provider, the free and confidential services provided and how they can successfully refer any at-risk patrons.
Venue
managers
should
also
maintain
regular,
meaningful contact with their local GHS provider.
One of the services offered by GHSs is free support provided directly to venues. This includes employee professional development such as training on how to identify the signs of problem gambling as well as assistance with patrons who want to self-exclude from venues.
An external review of the state-wide GHS system was completed last year under the Gambling Harm Minimisation Plan for Queensland 2021-2025. The review considered how well the support system operates
to
meet
the
specific
needs
of
individuals
and communities.
The review found that while the GHS system is meeting the needs of its current clients, several enhancements are required to
ensure
it
effectively meets
the
specific
needs of a changing and diverse client base.
A key part of the solution is enabling greater access to non-therapeutic
supports
such
as
financial
counsellors
for
people experiencing gambling harm.
To
support
these
essential
services,
the
Queensland Government has committed to funding training for additional specialist problem gambling financial counsellors in Queensland and an online problem gambling
toolkit
for
generalist
financial
counsellors.
Several other gambling harm minimisation initiatives are being rolled out on top of this including a sports club partnership program to raise awareness of gambling harm, the risks of the normalisation of gambling in sport, and to promote safe gambling within sporting club environments.
You can also expect to see another Queensland Household Gambling Survey and a targeted Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander youth gambling research project over the next 12 months.
The Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation will share updates on the implementation of the Gambling Harm Minimisation Plan on our Facebook page and Inside Liquor and Gaming newsletter. I recommend subscribing to these channels to ensure you get the latest news on projects and changes as they happen.