Responsible Gambling

According to recent reports regional areas are funding poker machines more than any other. Apparently huge sums of money are being funnelled into pokies particular from rural communities such as those in Queensland’s resource-rich towns.

Statistics show that these towns are feeding more than $550 per person into the pokies over the last year alone.

Although Queensland’s rural towns are contributing substantially to pokies, they cannot compare with the amount of money being funnelled into pokies on the Gold Coast. Within the last year around $288.1million has been lost in gaming rooms in this area which works out to approximately $1110 per person – the Gold Coast has approximately 526,000 residents.

An article written about the phenomenon on website Thesatellite.com.au the state government has attributed this high revenue also to the number of tourists and fly-in/fly-out work being done in the region.

The post went on to explain about pokie revenue:

Brisbane and the Gold Coast are also the only two areas in the calculations that have casinos.

Although second to Queensland's southern-most major centre, Gladstone spent $41.7 million on the no-longer one-armed bandits - roughly $681 per person.

In Mackay, the $79.2 million could be distilled to $665 per person.

For Rockhampton in fourth, it was $581.

Based on 2009 figures released by the Productivity Commission, about $12 billion was put into poker machines nationally, creating an Australian average of $502 per person.

In Queensland, based on current population and revenue data, the average is closer to $220.

Source: http://www.thesatellite.com.au/news/pokie-machines-pumped-hard-regional-areas/2233809/

Responsible service of gambling training it seems is more necessary now than ever with the number of people developing gambling problems growing annually.

Some believe that the increased revenue being lost in Queensland  to gaming is due to the government’s decision to allow punters to feed machines up to $100 at a time rather than the $20 limit that previously applied.

 According to Attorney General Jarrod Bleijie, the rise in gambling revenue is due to this. In New South Wales and Victoria gamblers are permitted to drop between $1000 and $10,000 in a single sitting. Mr Bleijie went on to say:

Mr Bleijie said while "a punt on the pokies is OK now and then", the government would spend $5 million this year towards gambling support programs.

On the amount spent in Queensland's regional areas, Mr Bleijie said there may be more venues, more machines or extra people in the town, whether by workers or visitors.

Source: http://www.thesatellite.com.au/news/pokie-machines-pumped-hard-regional-areas/2233809/

In order to properly understand the need for Responsible service of gaming, we need to be aware of the figures and how much people are really spending. The following list also appears on the post to detail how much each town spends on the pokies on average per person, based on data from 2009 the national total equates to $502:

Gold Coast: $1124.95

Gladstone: $681.15

Mackay: $665.42

Rockhampton: $581.66

Bundaberg: $579.59

Fraser Coast: $576.25

Isaac: $574.34

Sunshine Coast: $498.53

Ipswich: $460.50

Toowoomba: $436.85

Brisbane: $429.44

Southern Downs: $359.67

Gympie: $290.91

Queensland total: $218.25

A surprising case of courtside gambling was busted at this year’s Australian Open. According to reports detectives have made the first ever arrest in the world for tennis courtside gambling at the Australian Open after they caught a 22 year old British man at this year’s open.

The man was apparently nabbed while sitting courtside at the games and using a special electronic device which was sewn into his clothing and sending messages to someone who was placing bets at another location before a TV delay caught up and caused the betting odds to change. The TV delay was between seven and 10 seconds. Workers in the betting industry need to stay ahead of the trends particularly troublesome trends such as these scams in the gambling industry which threaten the future of the industry.

Following the arrest police discovered that the man had flown into Melbourne to attend the Grand slam event specifically, probably to carry out the scam. Detectives gathered CCTV footage as well as other evidence to build their case and thereafter arrested him around 5:30pm on Tuesday afternoon.

Police say the man is part of a larger gambling syndicate which they are still investigating. The police are still narrowing down who the man was sending the messages to and who else is involved in the scam. 

According to reports in the media Victorian police confirmed that it had obtained evidence on several other people involving similar illegal gambling practices and they are continuing to monitor these individuals.

The 22 year old British suspect was arrested and charged with one count of engaging in conduct that would corrupt a betting outcome and will appear before a Melbourne Magistrates Court this week.

One member of the Victorian police force was quoted as saying:

"It's certainly the first time it's (legislation) been used in tennis in Victoria and I'm not aware of a (tennis) example anywhere in the world where courtsiding has been able to be dealt with in a criminal setting," Deputy Commissioner Graham Ashton said.

Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/arrest-at-australian-open-for-courtside-gambling-a-world-first-say-police/story-fni0fee2-1226802479248

Following this incident which is apparently the first tennis courtside bust ever, police praised Tennis Australia for the intelligence they provided which helped to lead to the arrest.

Deputy Commissioner Ashton reiterated that the man could face a maximum penalty of up to a decade in prison, just in case any others were getting the idea of pulling off such a scam in the future. Tennis Australia also reiterated that they would continue to cooperate with authorities to catch anyone trying to conduct illegal gambling activities in the sport of tennis.

The following excerpt from an article on Heraldsun.com.au describes how the scam actually works in more detail:

1. Alleged criminal sits court side with a special concealed device

2. They press buttons on the device which tell an associate at another location the result of each point

3. The associate places a bet with a legitimate bookmaker before a TV delay of seven to 10 seconds catches up and the market closes

4. Victoria Police believes most of the courtsiding syndicate gangs are based in central and eastern Europe

Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/arrest-at-australian-open-for-courtside-gambling-a-world-first-say-police/story-fni0fee2-1226802479248

Gambling can provide a fun and exciting past time for people who know when to quit but problem gambling is a growing problem across various sections of the population and because of the negative stigma attached to it, many fail to address their issues.

There isn’t one stereotypical group that are more or less likely to gamble but there is a negative stigma attached to gambling abuse and gambling problems which leads addictive gamblers to fail to seek help even when it becomes clear that they have a problem.

The stigma attached to problem gambling is so entrenched in the population that there are many who view problem gamblers as “weak”. But experts urge people will a gambling problem to recognise that it is just like any other addiction. People with drug and alcohol addictions also suffer similar symptoms as people with gambling addictions from tolerance, withdrawal and difficulty controlling urges.

A recent article on News.com.au discussed the disease as it affected one Victorian and “tore his life apart”. Paul Fung gambling story spans 2 decades, starting at the age of 8 and goes from horse race betting to football bets to betting in casinos. This progressive gambling behaviour led him to lose almost a million dollars. The following excerpt from the article explains more about his cautionary tale:

He moved on to horses by the age of 14, asking anyone who was willing to place bets for him. By the time Mr Fung was 16, he had acquired a fake ID and could stride into a TAB himself and spent every weekend studying the form guide and perfecting his ‘system’.

He didn’t think so at the time, but Mr Fung said gambling started to affect his school work. “I was in denial at the time but when I look back at my grades in the last few years of school, they definitely slipped,” he told news.com.au.

Source: http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/problem-gambler-paul-fung-lost-almost-a-million-dollars-in-three-weeks/story-e6frfmci-1226862004073

Once he could legally gamble Mr Fung engaged in all forms of gambling especially those at the casino. This is when his parents became aware of his habits and expressed their concern, despite still providing him with money which continued to fuel the problem. He goes on to explain:

 “It was an adrenalin rush when you won, it was such a huge thrill,” he said. “I just wanted to gamble. It didn’t matter what it was, as long as I could put money down and get some back. But when you lose, you justify that bad feeling only lasted a short period of time. You look for the next win, which you convinced yourself will override that losing feeling.”

Source: http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/problem-gambler-paul-fung-lost-almost-a-million-dollars-in-three-weeks/story-e6frfmci-1226862004073

Similarly to the extreme highs and lows experienced by people with alcohol and drug addictions, Mr Fung would have really low lows while the highs didn’t get that much higher.

The article goes on to explain how gambling began to consume Mr Fung’s life and he began neglecting every other area of his life including the basics like good hygiene, eating, work etc.

Important information for people  in the gambling industry to keep in mind when on the job, research shows that people with gambling problems avoid seeking help for fear of the stigma attached to it.

Even more reason to ensure that responsible service of gambling is enforced is the fact that once people develop a bad gambling habit, they are fearful of seeking help because they feel embarrassed.

The Australian National University’s Centre for Gambling Research has discovered that people with gambling problems try to hide the problem and don’t admit it even to themselves to avoid feeling ashamed.

The research involved interviews with more than 100 health and welfare professionals as well as gamblers such as regular poker machine players and people who identified themselves as having gambling problems.

The following excerpt from an article on Abc.net.au explains:

Researcher Dr Annie Carroll says people reported feeling more embarrassed about their gambling problem than a substance addiction.

"Many of those people had received help for their drug or alcohol problems but they hadn't told their counsellors about their gambling because they felt so ashamed about it," she said.

"Some of them felt playing poker machines was stupid so having a problem with them was stupid."

Read more http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-18/fear-of-stigma-stops-problem-gamblers-seeking-help/5098624

According to Dr Carroll, problem gambling is not well understood within the community in the way that alcohol and drug addictions are, which is a problem that many are choosing not to deal with.

According to Dr Carroll when people seek help for drug and alcohol problems they are perceived as doing a good thing and people commend them for this whereas people who have gambling problems don’t feel the same gratification, they instead feel like they look desperate.

The research also shows that the promotion of the message to gamble responsibly is “counterproductive”. The post goes on to explain:

"It puts all the onus on the person to gamble responsibly rather than admitting that gambling products, like alcohol and drugs, are innately risky products to use," Dr Carroll said.

"It actually puts it on the individual to control their gambling and when we spoke to the electronic game machine players they tended to not really have an idea of what gamble responsibly was anyway.

"It's sort of this vague notion that no one really understands. It doesn't explain to people how they should gamble."

Read more http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-18/fear-of-stigma-stops-problem-gamblers-seeking-help/5098624

Dr Carroll suggested that health strategies such as those used to tackle alcohol abuse should be used to help combat gambling addiction. She also explained that seeking help for gambling should be looked at the same way as getting treatment for any other health problem like drinking or drug abuse.

She went on to say:

"The general public should be encouraged to view seeking help for gambling problems as being a sensible action, rather than a sign of weakness or desperation," she said.

It appears now more than ever the enforcement of RSG has become crucial to avoid the many negative side affects of gambling addictions which are being exacerbated it seems by the spread of online gambling.

According to a recent study, online gamblers are more likely to be at risk of becoming problem gamblers.

The survey reviewed the actions of 4688 Australians who gambled online and discovered that around 30 per cent of themexperienced low to moderate risks compared with only 15 per cent of people who gamble traditionally "offline".

Another worrying revelation is that Gamblers Help Eastern is seeing one new online problem gambler from across the east each week.

Not being able to pay bills, spending more than intended and chasing losses are catergorised as low to moderate risks. A post on TheHeraldSun.com.au goes on to explain:

Southern Cross University postdoctoral research fellow Sally Gainsbury said her nationally representative survey was the first of its kind on online gambling in Australia.

"When you're gambling online, because it's electronic, it doesn't have the same salience as having that $50 note in your hand," Dr Gainsbury said.

Dr Gainsbury said another telephone survey of 15,006 Australian adults conducted by Southern Cross in 2011 showed 8 per cent had gambled online in the past 12 months.

"That's a massive increase because more than half of these started playing online from 2009 or later," she said.

Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/online-gamblers-more-at-risk-of-addiction/story-fni0fiyv-1226739184629

The post goes on to explain more about Dr Gainsbury's research which revealed that half of those problem gamblers betting online have developed their addictions after using internet gambling. She also explained that half of them already had a problem with gambling even before they started using online methods.

The research revealed that one of the biggest risk factors is being young. It is important that parents as well as young people are educated about the risks of gambling. The article goes on to explain:

Gamblers Help Eastern manager Jackie Bramwell said the centre's counselling services had seen an increase in calls from online problem gamblers over the past two years.

"Every week we are receiving a query or a referral in regards to online gambling," Mrs Bramwell said.

"We need to educate parents and teens on the risks of gambling.

"It's not a game."

Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/online-gamblers-more-at-risk-of-addiction/story-fni0fiyv-1226739184629

For  help or assistance regarding your own gambling problems or someone you know, phone Gamblers Help Eastern on 1300 131 973.

According to recent research commissioned by Gambling Research Australia, easy access, advertising and promotions have been influential in the growth of online gambling and gambler’s habits.

The ease with which punters get “free” bets and credit is also a concern for problem gamblers according to the research.

The study looked into interactive gambling and showed that the public believe that gambling is made too easy with these advertisements, promotional offers and ease of access.

Just consider how easy it is to access online gambling sites, from your office computer, home PC, even your mobile phone wherever you are?

Some punters involved in the study also reported that if they lost money it would motivate them to chase their losses and try to win back their money – which amounted to them losing even more.

“Ease and swiftness” of depositing money into accounts which reduced any “cooling off” periods punters might otherwise have received, also contributed to greater spending.

The study also showed that problem gamblers who were trying to get help and overcome their addiction were lured back in by email and pop-up advertisements which according to the survey the public finds “excessive and predatory”. Even when problem gamblers weren’t trying to gamble and were rather involved in other activities, they were still being exposed to these gambling messages involuntarily.

An article on TheAge.com.au went into more detail about the study which involved a telephonic survey of more than 15,000 people. The following excerpt is from that article,

''Frequent email promotions were also mentioned by general population interviewees as contributing to individuals gambling more than intended and were perceived as targeting particular vulnerable individuals.''

The study, which included a phone-survey of more than 15,000 people as well as an online survey, was conducted by Southern Cross University, with funds by the state and federal governments.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/punters-complain-that-gambling-is-made-much-too-easy-study-finds-20140401-35wgh.html#ixzz2y8NYtFYj

One of the representatives from the study, Sally Gainsbury was quoted as saying that just over half of problem gamblers already had a gambling problem before they became exposed to online betting.  She believes that land-based problem gamblers in comparison to those who gamble online are at a greater risk and usually suffer more severe gambling addictions. She went on to explain:

‘‘It shows that there are different risk factors, so some of the predictors of greater problems online are younger age, male, and betting on sports and races. In comparison, problem gamblers that are land-based are more likely to use the pokies,’’ Dr Gainsbury said. ‘‘Evidence suggest that with those land-based problem gamblers, their problems are more severe.’’

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/punters-complain-that-gambling-is-made-much-too-easy-study-finds-20140401-35wgh.html#ixzz2y8NYtFYj

The study examined all the types of online gambling including those illegal in Oz.

According to the study what attracted most people to online gambling was the cost and freebies including free credits and bonuses. People found them generally more convenient than land based betting.

A new Hollywood movie has been released which explores the world of gambling in the US. The thriller, Runner Runner stars Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake and has unwittingly found itself at the centre of a fight over online gambling regulation.

The American Gambling Association has capitalised on the film to promote its cause, purchasing advertisements on major websites like Twitter and Facebook which claim the film highlights the need for the US Congress to legalise online poker. The group’s advertisements also come up in Google searches surrounding the movie’s title.

The writers of the story have however denied that the film has any political message but rather is a story about a young man pulled into the criminal dealings of an offshore poker site.

A non-profit anti-gambling group has lobbied to have the advertisements removed, as this excerpt from an article on News.com.au explains,

The Stop Predatory Gambling Foundation, a national nonprofit organisation, sent a letter to the casino lobby on Thursday pointing to the writers' comments, and calling the ads dishonest. The group is demanding that the ads - one of which warns, "Sometimes movie villains are real" - be taken down.

National director Les Bernal wrote there was no reason to think shady offshore operations would disappear if online gambling was legalised in the US and accused the casino lobby of wanting a cut of the illegal operators' business.

"Casino operators now hope to expand another key demographic to their base: young people, especially those of college age, which is why the AGA greedily seized upon Runner, Runner," Bernal wrote.

Source: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/world/gambling-film-runs-into-controversy/story-e6frfkui-1226733136667

Since 2011 internet poker has been outlawed in the United States and the authorities seized the domain names of the largest offshore sites catering to US customers and blacked them out. This forced poker players and fanatics in The USA to either flock to a traditional casino and play poker or illegally log into an offshore site. The second option is what a lot of Americans are opting for with offshore gambling sites taking in about $US2.6 billion ($A2.78 billion) from US players last year.

The post’s writer went on to explain:

More recently, the US federal government softened its stance on internet betting, and three states - New Jersey, Delaware and Nevada - legalised some form of online wagering within their borders.

The gambling lobby, which counts MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment among its members, supports a federal approach. It warns that a patchwork of state laws will be unworkable for corporations and could leave gamblers exposed to dishonest dealings.

Source: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/world/gambling-film-runs-into-controversy/story-e6frfkui-1226733136667

As research shows Australians love to gamble and it appears they are wagering more and more, in fact overtaking other countries in terms of money spent.

According to statistics Australians are the number one gamblers in the world with New Zealanders coming in fourth. According to the survey, Australia has the biggest gambling losses per capita with Singapore and Finland coming in second and third, New Zealand coming in fourth.

New Zealand authorities are attempting to deal with these high gambling numbers by calling for stricter controls on pokies. The following excerpt from TheAustralian.com.au explains:

Internal affairs spokesman Trevor Mallard says the government's deal with SkyCity for a convention centre in exchange for more pokies in its casino will make the situation even worse.

"It's a disgrace that New Zealand is number four in the world for gambling, according to the analysis in The Economist," he said on Tuesday.

"We need tighter rules and greater controls on pokies."

The survey by UK consultancy H2 Gambling Capital puts New Zealand gambling losses at about $US500 ($A573) per resident.

Australia has the biggest gambling losses on a per capita basis, at over $US1000 ($A1,146), with Singapore and Finland second and third respectively.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/kiwis-fourth-biggest-gamblers-in-the-world/story-fn3dxix6-1226817422268

According to a report published in The Economist, Australian gambling costs equate to about $1144 per resident making us the world’s biggest punters. Many anti-gambling campaigners are concerned that this is because we have the most opportunities to gamble. One of them was quoted as saying:

"Gambling is just like eucalyptus oil - it's natural," Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce chairman Tim Costello told AAP.

"But in Australia we've allowed gambling to proliferate more than anyone else in the world."

Source: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/02/04/aussies-worlds-biggest-gamblers-report

According to a Monash University researcher, Dr Charles Livingstone, Oz has the most poker machines in the world and many are distributed along the most disadvantaged areas.

In fact along the east coast you will find the greatest concentration of poker machines, which campaigners argue is the reason for much of the domestic violence, crime and mental illness in the area.

Apparently the average Australian loses about $520 on non-casino poker machines a year, according to the British consultancy firm H2 Gambling Capital. These figures should serve as an urgent wake-up call for politicians according to Independent MP Nick Xenophon.

Xenophon said there should also be more funding to rehabilitate problem gamblers and a clamp-down on online and sports betting.

State and territory governments in Australia derive an average 10 per cent or more of their taxation revenue from legalised gambling, perhaps part of the reason they were reluctant to act, even though in the case of poker machines, 40 per cent of the losses come from people with gambling problems.

A major survey recently discovered that more than two-thirds of problem gamblers have withdrawn cash from ATMs during gambling sessions and a quarter of them have taken out cash advances on credit cards in order to keep playing – a bit of a concerning trend. 

Gambling Prevalence in South Australia 2012 surveyed 9400 adults and discovered that only one quarter of people with gambling problems sought help for their addictions.

The survey was conducted between October and December last year and is the 5th survey of gambling among South Australians since 1995.

The survey found that problem gambling was most prevalent among men and even more concerning is that it is most common among men that had no post-secondary education or those who earned very low incomes.

This following excerpt from AdelaideNow.com.au explains:

Many problem gamblers who took part in the survey said they had experienced "big wins" (61 per cent) but also "big losses" (46 per cent).

More than one in five usually gambled more than $200, while 87 per cent admitted to gambling more than usual at least once in the past year - which usually occurred when the person was gambling alone.

Most described their behaviour as "binge gambling" and conceded it led them to spend less time with family or affected their work performance.

Almost 20 per cent of problem gamblers who visited venues such as hotels or casinos, had asked to be barred from their regular venue.

Source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/problem-gambling-more-prevalent-among-men-gambling-prevalence-in-south-australia-2012-survey-finds/story-fni6uo1m-1226773727964

The survey also revealed that 17 per cent of these problem gamblers had tried to quit or control their gambling using help services. Loyalty cards for gambling venues were held by 28 per cent of risky or problem gamblers.

There is however help for these problem gamblers. According to Communities Minister Tony Piccolo, help is available in the form of the Gamblers Rehabilitation Fund which received an annual budget of $6billion which was used to run free gambling help services that offered gamblers confidential counselling and financial advice, as well as referrals to other services.

Piccolo went on to explain that the government recognised the devastating impact that problem gambling can have on individuals, their families and the broader community.

The article on AdelaideNow.com.au went on to report some of the other findings of the survey:

OVERALL 69 per cent of South Australians had gambled in the past year.

LOTTO tickets are gaining popularity. Electronic gaming or poker machines are less popular.

AN average gambler spends about 30 minutes on electronic gaming or poker machines.

ALMOST half of people who bet on sports said it made them feel more involved in the game, while about 44 per cent felt they had a good chance of winning based on the odds offered.

INSTANT scratch tickets and bingo were the only gambling activities played by more women than men.

I recently read an interesting article on CanberraTimes.com.au written by Tom McCarthy, a business adviser and former commercial lawyer in which he argued that gambling addictions are out of hand in Victoria and more regulatory guidelines should be introduced to overcome them.

According to McCarthy, the level of gambling taking place in Victoria over the past 2 decades has risen sharply and the rise has remained consistent, which he attributes largely to a relaxing of the regulatory environment and the advancements in gambling technologies.

As he explains this rapid and sustained growth of the gambling industry in the state has presented a new set of challenges for the community and the justice system, which demands in McCarthy’s opinion an explicit guide to sentencing where gambling addiction is a factor.

The post on CanberraTimes.com.au explains:

More gambling is leading to more problem gambling and more problem gambling means more people are resorting to fraud and other theft crimes to facilitate addictions. Criminal courts are increasingly being called upon to adjudicate gambling-related incidents, using a legislative framework that hasn't been totally updated to deal with the new gambling landscape.

An inspection of the recent Victorian case law suggests that the courts are finding one task particularly troubling: deciding whether or not a gambling addiction (as a motivating factor for offending) warrants a more lenient sentence.

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/guidelines-needed-on-gambling-addictions-20131127-2ya8m.html#ixzz2mKD1QGz6

McCarthy goes on to highlight the current, insufficient method adopted by the courts to deal with this problem whereby a reduction in sentencing is allowed if the offenders gambling problem is so intertwined with their existing mental illness that it cannot be separated. The current approach is “highly subjective”, something for which there shouldn’t be much room in the courts.

McCarthy went on to explain:

A comparative look at two recent cases - both of which involved millions of dollars of gambling-motivated fraud - demonstrates the contentious nature of the current approach. The judge in one case was willing to accept that the offender's gambling addiction was sufficiently tied up in her ''major depressive order'' to warrant a sentence reduction. While in the other case, the presiding judge refused to acknowledge any linkage between a comparable gambling addiction, and the offender's ''dissociative identity (mental) disorder''.

Despite the inherent difficulty, one can appreciate why the courts are engaging in this judicial contortion. To absolutely deny gambling addiction as a cause for leaner sentencing could see otherwise good people encounter the full wrath of the law. On the other hand, with problem gambling becoming so prominent, the last thing the courts want to do is appear weak on the issue by routinely allowing sentence reductions.

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/guidelines-needed-on-gambling-addictions-20131127-2ya8m.html#ixzz2mKD1QGz6

So at the moment we are faced with an unfair and ill-equipped judiciary. According to McCarthy the state government is the main benefactor of the gambling industry and therefore has a special responsibility to provide a legal and regulatory framework that can deal with gambling related crimes.

A recent coronial report shows pokies gambling is the biggest cause of suicide linked to gambling depression.

According to the report Victorians gambling obsession has resulted in 128 people, including some teenagers, taking their own lives in the past 10 years, after unsuccessfully battling the addiction.

The report also proves the far reaching implications of gambling addictions as 2 of the suicides during this period were as a result of their partners gambling problems.

State Coroner Judge Ian Gray released the figures to the Herald Sun recently.

It has been suggested that the actual death toll may be even higher because problem gambling is under-reported and some fatalities are still under investigation.

The report has led to calls for an awareness campaign and for changes to the pokies industry by gambling researchers such as Professor Alexander Blaszczynski. Blaszczynski said that the figures were a major cause for concern. According to an article on TheAustralian.com.au he goes on to explain

"Many people underestimate the difficulties people have in controlling their gambling," said Prof Blaszczynski, the director of the University of Sydney's Gambling Treatment Clinic.

"(Many people think) that they have made some bad choices, and could stop if they wanted to.''

Read more: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/pokies-sad-toll-coroner-links-128-tragedies-to-gambling/story-e6frg6n6-1226723123292

The report went on to reveal that 128 suicides between the period, January 2000 – December 2012 were attributed to gambling problems. Two murder suicides had also occurred where men with gambling problems also killed their partners.

Total gambling losses in Victoria hit $5.49 billion in 2011-12, up from $5.21 billion in 2010-11.Victorians tipped $2.49 billion into the state's 26,000 poker machines last financial year.

Pokies were identified as the main contributor to these suicide rates. This report highlights the need for the enforcement of Responsible Service of Gambling. Employees of gambling venues have a legal and moral responsibility to ensure that they not only complete RSG training but also enforce the principles learnt to help bring down the high numbers of problem gamblers and subsequent suicides.

The post goes on to explain:

Researchers say many factors contribute to suicide, including depression, family and relationship breakdowns, major financial difficulties, feelings of shame, and the threat that their level of debt, or any offences of dishonesty, could be revealed.

A spokesman for Gaming Regulation Minister Edward O'Donohue, James Talia, said the government had responded to the one coroner's recommendation by removing ATMs from venues last year.

This was having an impact with a study finding problem gamblers were spending less and pokie revenue dropped seven per cent in the first six months, he said.

There were no plans to introduce $1 bet limits but the government was willing to consider other measures to reduce problem gambling.

Read more:http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/pokies-sad-toll-coroner-links-128-tragedies-to-gambling/story-e6frg6n6-1226723123292

The Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation has been created in order to carry out treatment, research and awareness activities, providing funding of $150million over a four year period.

According to the Premier of South Australia, Jay Weatherill, a ban on live odds betting during broadcasts does not require commonwealth legislation.

The Premier said earlier this week that he intended to ban such gambling advertisements before the end of the current AFL season. However the federal communications minister, Stephen Conroy says he prefers the matter be dealt with by the commonwealth because of the interference and involvement by broadcasters.

According to Mr Conroy, “SA has no power under the communication provisions, commonwealth powers”, he said recently.

He said that states do have certain other powers but they came to an agreement at COAG (Council of Australian Governments) to go through a consultation phase.

This article from News.com.au goes on to explain:

Mr Weatherill said he was not seeking to legislate under the Broadcast Act or the Communications Act, but under the Authorised Betting Act, which included codes of practice for gambling organisations and advertising guidelines.

He said the SA process operated in parallel to the COAG consultation.

"The details are very clear - we're banning live odds advertising, and we have a very broad definition of advertising," Mr Weatherill told reporters in Adelaide on Tuesday.

"It will cover signage on the ground, television, and all forms of advertising including anything that identifies the availability of live odds betting, the odds themselves, and anything that encourages betting of this sort."

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/national/betting-ban-doesnt-need-federal-approval/story-e6frfku9-1226647856202#ixzz2U00TCSwA

Should the ban be implemented it would not block advertisements by gambling organisations unless they discussed live odds betting, according to Weatherill.

He also said that sports clubs that receive sponsorship from betting organisations also may not be affected but this is reliant on the nature of the logos used for promotion on their sporting jerseys. Some of the clubs that may be affected according to the article are the Adelaide Crows, sponsored by Adelaide Casino and the Sydney Kings, sponsored by Crown Limited.

According to the article, Weatherill is not in favour of allowing the industry to continue with self-regulation which he described as weak because gambling advertisements would still continue during the commercial breaks which doesn’t address the issue, children will still be viewing these advertisements. Obviously broadcasters would act to protect their own interests instead of protecting the interests of the community if they are allowed to regulate themselves.  He went on to explain:

Mr Weatherill said South Australia would not copy "inferior" industry self-regulation, which proposes that advertisements continue during ad breaks.

"You give industry capacity to regulate in this way and they're going to regulate to protect their interests, they're not going to regulate to protect children or the public interest," he said.

"What you're seeing is the anxiety of people that realise that they are no longer going to be able to make mega-millions of dollars out of vulnerable consumers."

He said the proposed terms of the ban would be open to community consultation in the near future.

A Sydney business has been arrested and charged with dishonestly using his position as a company director to repay gambling debts of up to $6million. This is yet another reminder of the danger of irresponsible gambling and what can happen if people develop gambling addictions. Although this is an extreme example, people with addictions seldom consider the consequences for the actions fuelled by the addiction, for people from all walks of life and social status’.

In the latest case, the former chairman, director and chief executive of TZ limited was arrested at the Intercontinental Hotel and appeared by Sydney’s Central Local Court on 16 counts of dishonestly using his position to funnel $6,151,317 from the company to repay gambling debts.

This is what happened according to a post on www.SmartCompany.com.au :

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission alleges that on 16 occasions between March 2008 and March 2009, Sigalla took money from the company’s bank accounts and used the majority of the cash to repay bookmaker Tom Waterhouse and pay off his mortgage.

ASIC also alleges that, on top of fraudulently taking the money, Sigalla failed to properly record the payments in his accounting books and TZ’s records, did not obtain shareholder approval for the payments, and did not disclose the payments in any published accounts and company annual reports.

The maximum penalty for each offence is a five-year prison sentence and/or a $220,000 fine.

Gambling is often a major factor in business fraud according to professional services firm Warfield & Associates.

The firm conducted research into million-dollar fraud in Australia from 2001 to July 2012 and found of the 93 people (in 89 cases) convicted of fraud of over $1 million, 46 of the cases involved people with gambling problems.

Source: http://www.smartcompany.com.au/leisure-and-gaming/055604-former-tz-chief-executive-charged-with-6-million-fraud-over-gambling-debts-to-tom-waterhouse.html

These cases equated to over $164 million being stolen from Aussie businesses out of a total of over $398 million. Shockingly chief executive of Warfield & Associates, Brett Warfield told SmartCompany.com.au that gambling is the most prevalent factor motivating million-dollar company fraud.

According to Warfield gambling addiction usually results in people doing something funny and likely illegal at work.  He also said that people with easy access to money tend to lose it all to the bookmakers if they have a gambling problem.

This article is even more reason why Responsible Service of Gambling legislation needs to be enforced by employees who have been trained to do so. Responsible service of gambling training can be completed quickly and conveniently online, without the hassle or expense of traditional, face-to-face classes, so there really is no excuse for workers in gambling businesses to go without it. This allows workers to gain employment in the gaming industry and fulfils not only a mandatory legal requirement but also teaches workers the skills needed to assist would-be problem gamblers.

An article on the Dailymail.co.uk website highlighted a serious issue in the UK, that has resonance for nations around the world who are grappling with similar issues. The issue in question is that of how the poor are getting caught up in unhealthy gambling habits.

The situation is so serious in the UK that in some towns for every man, woman and child £340 ($505.15) is pumped into gambling slots machines each year. These same towns suffer high unemployment rates, 3 out of 4 people are unemployed and 4 out of 5 children live in poverty according to the article.

According to the post in 50 poorest area of the UK £5.6billion was spent last year on some 4,454 machines. In the UK the number of machines rose from 16,380 in 2007 to 32,000 last year.

The town spoken of in the article is Rochdale and is the most deprived estate in the country with most of the children growing up in poverty. Unfortunately regardless of the financial woes, citizens of this town gamble £72million on high stakes betting machines each year chasing jackpots of up to £500.

The economy of the town of Rochdale has been extremely hard hit by the recession, leaving 72 per cent of the population unemployed and over half of them have no employable skills yet people still gamble most of the little they have. Perhaps the idea of winning the jackpot is too great an allure for them to resist in their desperation for money. But the more important question is, why are the rich being allowed to prey on the poor in this way by having these machines  in the town.

This article from www.dailymail.co.uk explains further:

The housing estate was named the most deprived area in England for a fifth consecutive year this month.

More than 200 children on the estate are growing up in poverty, with around 800 people claiming council tax or housing benefits.

People living in Falinge are not expected to live beyond the age of 69 - while those living just two miles away in Norden and Banford can expected to live for 10 years longer.

The council's own statistics show Falinge also has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the country, with one in 10 girls giving birth under the age of 18.

Yet there are 69 of the machines spread across 19 betting shops in the town. They allow players to gamble as much as £100 a time in games such as virtual roulette.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2267057/Staggering-72m-staked-crack-cocaine-gambling-machines-Rochdale-year.html#ixzz2Qtp7qI6A

The situation in Britain highlights the need for Responsible Service of Gambling. In Australia there are thousands of people who also turn to gambling as a means to escape their financial problems only to wind up deeper in trouble. Problem gamblers cost not only the economy but the community substantially each year, which is why every worker involved in this industry must not willingly contribute to the problem and must in fact attempt to overcome it.

Broadcasters have proposed changes that would ban the promotion of gambling odds during live sporting events.

Previously the college of Psychiatrists expressed concern about the growing promotion of gambling in Australian sporting events. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists feared that the advertising and promotion of gambling especially during big tennis, rugby and cricket events have the potential to adversely affect the community’s mental health.

These events are watched by everyone, from all age groups including children, which many fear is a bad influence on kids and normalises excessive gambling. Frequent gambling advertising and promotion of betting odds, according to the college of psychiatrists is aiding in promoting unacceptable gambling, it seems members of the broadcast industry agree.

The broadcast industry body has proposed the changes which would prohibit giving gambling odds during live sporting events on Australian commercial television. These changes to the Commercial Television Industry Code of practice would reduce and control the promotion of live odds during sports broadcasts.

FreeTV Australia represents all of Oz’s commercial free-to-air television licensees. The organisation provides a forum for discussion of industry matters and describes itself as being the public voice of the industry on a wide range of issues. FreeTV Australia has proposed that commentators and their guests be barred from promoting live odds during a game as well as for 30 minutes before and after the match.

This article taken from Adelaidenow.com.au explains more:

"The proposed amendments to the Code reflect an agreement reached between the government and commercial radio, commercial television and subscription broadcasters to reduce and control the promotion of live odds during the broadcast of sporting events," Free TV Australia said in a statement.

The proposal follows a parliamentary inquiry into gambling reform last month, which examined the Nine Network's controversial use of bookmaker Tom Waterhouse during rugby league broadcasts earlier in the season.

The network admitted it had received complaints after the 30-year-old bookie appeared on screen during matches updating the betting odds, as well as giving his opinion on play.

NRL executive Shane Mattiske said the lines between Waterhouse and the TV commentary team were initially "blurred", before a rejig ensured there was "a clear distinction between the commentary team and the promotion of sports betting".

Source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/broadcast-industry-body-proposes-changes-banning-the-promotion-of-gambling-odds-during-live-sport-on-commercial-tv/story-fndbbp4c-1226625836516

Free TV Australia's proposal has been posted on its website and will be available for public comment until May 20. Visit http://www.freetv.com.au/ for more information.

The reason for all the concern is that gambling addiction carries a huge cost, financially, emotionally, mentally and especially on the family unit. Children are often the ones that suffer most,that is one of the reasons why responsible service of gambling is such an important topic.

It seems as though not a single aspect of our lives cannot be found online, almost every human activity can be facilitated online and one of the human activities flourishing online is gambling.

Casinos in the USA are particularly concerned about the competition that online gambling is going to present after just being made legal. According to an article on Abcnews.go.com, the industry is “bracing itself” for the most far reaching changes in its history.

The article from abcnews.go.com explains the industry’s concerns:

A Las Vegas firm, Ultimate Gaming, on Tuesday became the first in the U.S. to offer online poker, restricting it, for now, to players in Nevada. New Jersey and Delaware also have legalized gambling over the Internet and expect to begin offering such bets by the end of this year.

And many inside and outside the industry say the recent position taken by the federal government that states are free to offer Internet gambling — as long as it doesn't involve sports betting — will lead many cash-hungry state governments to turn to the Web as a new source of tax revenue.

Ten other states have considered some form of Internet gambling so far this year, but none has legalized it yet. Efforts to pass a national law legalizing online poker have sputtered, leaving states free to pass laws as they see fit.

"It's no longer a question of if Internet gaming is coming; it's a question of when," said Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Gaming Association, the trade organization for the nation's commercial brick-and -mortar casinos. "Unless there is a federal bill passed, we are going to have the greatest expansion of legalized gambling in the United States. I don't think that's what anyone intended, but it is what we're seeing."

Read more:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/casinos-brace-impact-internet-gambling-19098272?page=2#.UYOSjLVHJOk

But do traditional casinos have anything to worry about?

It is unlikely that traditional casinos will lose so much business that they go out of business. While online gambling presents a definite benefit in the form of convenience, traditional casinos provide an experience and ambience unparalleled by online betting.

As people become more reliant on computers for their very existence, such trends as online gambling will probably continue to grow but a lot of people still want the experience of visiting a casino but just not as often as they once did. Online gambling offers them flexibility which casinos do not. But for many people the sensation of actual casinos, the ambience, the machines and the sounds all combine to create a favourable experience for gamblers which can seldom be met in virtual casinos.

Gambling advertising and promotion during sporting events has been in the media a lot lately, with many condemning its presence in broadcasts of popular sporting events. Former Melbourne star and reformed gambling addict , David Schwarz is another critic who has recently become vocal about his condemnation of the AFL and its financial reliance on bookmakers.

On a television show, the former star expressed his concern about how much the AFL relies on money from gambling agencies. The star being an ex-gambling addict himself believes that the integration of gambling with sports is a troubling one which is detrimental to society and to children in particular, who he believes are being groomed for a lifetime of gambling.

The former star went on to explain how gambling overtook his life and career. He detailed his concern is an interview on Monday night’s episode of Mike Sheahan’s show, Open Mike. Read what he had to say according to a post on www.foxsports.com.au

“My biggest issue at the moment is these corporate bookmakers are grooming kids into gambling.

“People will say, ‘Well how is that happening?’ When my (eight-year-old) boy comes up to me and says ‘Richmond are favourites because they are $1.63,’ we’ve got issues.

“He should know they’re favourites because Jack Riewoldt is a bloody good full forward and Trent Cotchin’s a great midfielder and they’re up against Brisbane who have had their real battles travelling to Melbourne.”

Throughout Monday night’s compelling interview, Schwarz provided a first-hand account of his personal battles from a time when wagering was nowhere near as accessible or proliferated as it is today.

“It was my life,” he revealed.

“I was getting paid to play football. I was studying at university and also at high school, yet my number one thought was gambling.”

The 173-game veteran struggled with addiction throughout his career. While adamant he never gambled on AFL, Schwarz said he would often look at the MCG scoreboard while playing to view the racing results.

Read more: http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/former-gambling-addict-david-schwarz-says-the-afl-is-drunk-on-revenue-received-from-bookies/story-e6frf3e3-1226631844457#ixzz2S9evgHOo

The star also explained how he was confronted by police at his home on the morning of his famous 1994 qualifying final performance against Carlton. The police were after him for an outstanding warrant, the money was later covered by the Demons.

He also detailed his issues with money, largely attributed to his gambling problems. When he had finished playing football, he was in debt for $2.5 million, an amount he found difficult to try and pay back once his career in football ended.

But Schwarz like most addicts had a tipping point when he lost $10,000 on a horse race after borrowing $1000 from his father-in-law to pay for his sons christening the same day. This is the perfect example of how gambling addicts do not have their priorities in order.

He went on to say :

“If I didn’t give up the punt, I’d be dead or in jail. It’s as simple as that,” Sobering words and an excellent warning to others in a similar position. But even if problem gamblers are lucky enough to escape an addiction, it leaves a mark on their lives.

The post went on to state:

Even though his creditors have been paid back and Schwarz has overcome his addiction, his professional media contracts have gambling clauses that would terminate his employment if he placed a single bet.