Gambling, it’s the Australian way

Gambling, it’s the Australian way
BY JUSTIN LAW

Problem gambling in clubs and pubs along with the increasing exposure to gaming through Internet betting begs the question; why not outlaw gambling altogether?

When that question was put to Eden-Monaro member Dr Mike Kelly, his response was, “Mate, this is Australia! I don’t think you could ever get rid of gambling.”

However, there is increasing awareness of the impact that gambling addiction is having on families particularly in low socio-economic areas such as Eden, and the radical Andrew Wilkie strategy of mandatory pre-commitment was seen as a big step forward in addressing it.

But the financial impact of introducing the technology on clubs in rural areas and the subsequent loss of revenue would have been devastating.

Many clubs along the Sapphire Coast that rely so heavily on gaming revenue would have been forced to close altogether.

General manager of the Eden Fishermen’s Recreation Club, Peter Cook, said gaming represented 60 per cent of the revenue generated at the club.

“We’d like to be able to reduce that figure,” he said. “We’re looking at diversification as well in how we can better address the needs of the future without being so reliant on gaming revenue.”

However, he said it’s a big challenge, particularly in small communities. City clubs have branched into restaurant, accommodation and even nursing home ventures, but Mr Cook said these areas are already over-subscribed in Eden.

“We’d be competing against our own town and that makes it more difficult,” he said.

“That doesn’t mean we’re not addressing it. We’ve done a risk analysis and a strategic plan lately where all these things have been identified and we’re looking at how we would still be here in the community in the next 50 years.”

In the meantime there’s the work on trying to minimise problem gambling and Mr Cook said they’ve had some success there.

“In my eight years here we’ve entered into probably 30 self-exclusions - whether they’re three-month exclusions or six-month exclusions or whether they sign up again, most of those people who have signed up don’t come to the club for gambling anymore,” he said.

“So it has been a tool that has assisted the club to help them and assist with them personally as well.”

However, he said that there was more that could be done, although it would require a change of legislation to make work one idea he believes could.

“One of the best things that could happen on this issue is to have a third party approach us,” he said.

“At the moment in NSW if, say, a gentleman comes and says, ‘Oh, my girlfriend has a problem with gambling’, I can’t discuss that matter with him because of privacy rules, but if that legislation changes and we are able to listen to third parties then we’d be able to approach the people and talk to them about their potential problem.”

Mr Cook and Dr Kelly say they are now hopeful that the ACT trials will yield solid data and that will assist in further strategies to combat problem gambling.