ACT urged to tackle problem gambling

Clubs ACT will ask the ACT government to fund intervention in problem gambling within its gaming venues.

Australia.- Problem gambling is a worldwide issue that’s tied up to the gaming industry, and governments and operators keep working in order to minimise its impact on society. However, measures against it have their cost, and that’s why Clubs ACT will ask the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government to fund an independent officer to tackle the problem within its venues.

The group is calling for territory-wide exclusion for problem gamblers, in a five-point plan to work on problem gambling to be released today, The Canberra Times reported. They are also expected to launch a gambling harm advisory taskforce.

“We accept the community has a trust issue with clubs when it comes to the management of problem gambling,” Clubs ACT head Gwyn Rees said as she commented that the industry would “no longer be the foxes in charge of the hen house.”

Rees believes that the independent gambling intervention officer should be appointed by the government and that the role “should be tasked with signing off on the exclusion process and signing off when someone wishes to return to a gambling environment.”

The GGR tax was raised from 0.6 per cent to 0.75 percent on July 1 and the ACT government explained the additional funds will go into helping problem gamblers.

“If you are a problem gambler, your exclusion should be territory-wide. It is not enough to exclude from one venue, the risk of harm is a price that is too high. People who exclude, should be excluded from all venues, whether it is a pub, TAB, casino or a club,” Clubs ACT head added.