Harm Minimisation
Update
Regional Forums 2013
Gambling Act 2003
• Purpose: Prevent and minimise the harm caused by
gambling, including problem gambling
• “Harm”: Harm/distress from a person’s gambling.
Includes: personal, social, or economic harm
o Includes: harm suffered in the work place
o Suffered by: the gambler; their partner, family, community
o
• “Problem gambler”: Means a person whose
gambling causes harm or may cause harm
Department of Internal Affairs
Gaming Machines and Harm
•
Gaming machines: The most harmful form of gambling
o
Due to continuous nature / reinforcement schedules / gaming
machine design
• One in six people played class 4 gaming machines in NZ study (HSC,
2011)
• About one in five regular gaming machine gamblers experience
problems at some stage (DIA)
• Problem gambling disproportionately affects people living in high
deprivation areas (AUT, 2013; MoH, 2012)
• Higher risk gamblers account for a large share of proceeds
o
E.g. Problem gamblers may account for 22% to 60% of spend (e.g.
APC, 2010)
Department of Internal Affairs
Statutory Responsibilities
•
Parliament: Makes and amends acts and regulations
•
Department of Internal Affairs: Primary regulator of sector. Addresses problem
gambling through regulation and enforcement of supply of gambling and manner in
which it is provided.
•
Ministry of Health: Responsible for development of integrated gambling strategy
focused on public health.
o
•
Strategy includes public health promotion, problem gambling services,
independent research and evaluation.
Gambling Commission: Independent statutory decision-making body. The
Commission hears appeals on licensing and enforcement decisions made by
Department in relation to class 4 gaming machines.
o
For interest: The Commission recently reviewed Auckland Casino Host Responsibility
Programme.
o
Key changes include: Managing continuous play; decline of independent evaluation; removal
of limited play option; and potential use of technology to control entry.
Department of Internal Affairs
The Department’s Role
• Administers gambling legislation
• Provides public information and education
• Licenses gambling activities
o
Grants, suspends, cancels and renews class 4 licences
• Ensures compliance with the legislation
o
Audits and investigates
• Develops / Approves:
Licence conditions
o Game rules
o Gazette notices
o Minimum standards
o
Department of Internal Affairs
Role of Gambling Providers
•
Gambling providers play an important role in minimising and
preventing harm caused by gambling.
•
Regulations include:
•
Requirement to provide information about problem gambling
•
Requirement to provide problem gambling awareness training
•
Act includes:
•
Age restrictions
•
Requirements relating to development, and use of problem
gambling policy
•
Requirements relating to exclusions
Department of Internal Affairs
The Current NZ Regulations
[The Gambling (Harm Prevention and Minimisation) Regulations 2004]
Requirements of the existing regulations:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Declare certain venues unsuitable.
Prohibit ATMs from gambling area.
Max stake = $2.50 / max prize = $500 - $1000.
Gaming machines must display messages.
Gaming machines must interrupt play.
Jackpot advertising / branding restricted.
Requirement to provide information about problem
gambling
8. Requirement to provide problem gambling
awareness training
Department of Internal Affairs
The Gambling (Gambling Harm
Reduction) Amendment Act
• Came into effect on 14 September 2013.
• Introduces a new regulation-making power that could
require the use of pre-commitment, or other harmminimisation technology.
• The Minister has expressed commitment towards
exploring whether to make new regulations.
• The Department is to assess a whole range of harm
minimisation initiatives, to determine the most
effective.
Department of Internal Affairs
Pre-commitment – What is it?
(Ladoucuer
et al., 2012)
• Pre-commitment: System enabling gamblers to set time and/or
money limits prior to play.
• Promoting personal responsibility and reinforcing selfcontrol:
o
Gamblers (not just problem gamblers) may “experience high
levels of arousal, lose track of time and experience dissociated
states while gambling, making it difficult to monitor and control
behaviours.”
o
Problem gamblers “experience urges to continue gambling,
gamble longer than intended, report an inability to cease despite
repeated attempts and fail to moderate their level of involvement”.
• Pre-commitment models: Full vs. partial.
Department of Internal Affairs
Overseas pre-commitment
Nova Scotia: ‘My Play’ trials:
• Card based system.
• Tools include: information, pre-commitment and exclusion.
• Participants reported they played more responsibility.
• System rated highly by participants.
Norway: Dramatically altered gambling environment.
• July 2007: All gaming machines removed.
• 2008: Low-intensity gaming machines with full pre-commitment
installed.
• Revenue initially decreased in 2007, subsequently increased in 2008.
• Caution surrounds interpreting any results due to the change in the
nature (intensity) of the gaming machines.
Department of Internal Affairs
Overseas pre-commitment - Australia
Rudd-Gillard Government:
• In 2012 federal legislation was passed requiring:
o Voluntary pre-commitment; warnings; $250 withdrawal limits.
o To be phased in over a decade.
o All gaming machines to be part of state-wide pre-commitment system.
• Mandatory pre-commitment trials in Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
Political change:
• New Coalition Government under Tony Abbot.
• Coalition’s (pre-election) policy to help problem gamblers stated:
o It will put a stop to mandatory ACT trial.
o Although supports voluntary pre-commitment.
o Wishes to develop a realistic time table for ensuring gaming machines
are capable of being networked to venue-based voluntary systems.
Department of Internal Affairs
Third – Party Initiatives
• The Department supports development of new
initiatives, technologies and services which aim to
reduce harm.
o
Department is committed to ensuring harm is minimised as
much as practical.
• However, all products need robust ARN assessment
prior to purchasing.
o
Not appropriate to spend gambling proceeds (that would
otherwise go to authorised purposes) on research and
development costs.
• Must also keep in mind potential for unintended
consequences; or conflict with Act’s requirements.
Department of Internal Affairs
Multi-Venue Exclusion Programme
• Expansion plans of the MVE Programme into:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Masterton (and surrounding areas)
Porirua
Palmerston North
Wairoa
New Plymouth
Whangarei
Far North
Upper Hutt
• Most of NZ should be covered by the end of this year.
Department of Internal Affairs
Looking Forward
• Stakeholder’s Reference Group (Harm
•
•
prevention and minimisation)
Next meeting - scheduled for around
November (TBC).
Potential topics:
o
o
o
Safer Gambling Venues?
The Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction)
Amendment Act – Pre-commitment?
Department’s Harm Minimisation Regulations
Review?
Department of Internal Affairs