Harm Minimisation Update

Harm Minimisation Update

Regional Forums 2013

Department of Internal Affairs

Gambling Act 2003

• Purpose: Prevent and minimise the harm caused by gambling, including problem gambling

• “Harm”: Harm/distress from a person’s gambling.o Includes: personal, social, or economic harmo Includes: harm suffered in the work placeo Suffered by: the gambler; their partner, family, community

• “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 legislationo Audits and investigates

• Develops / Approves: o Licence conditionso Game ruleso Gazette noticeso Minimum standards

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. Declare certain venues unsuitable.2. Prohibit ATMs from gambling area.3. Max stake = $2.50 / max prize = $500 - $1000.4. Gaming machines must display messages.5. Gaming machines must interrupt play.6. Jackpot advertising / branding restricted.7. Requirement to provide information about problem

gambling8. 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 harm-minimisation 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 self-control:

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 Masterton (and surrounding areas)o Poriruao Palmerston Northo Wairoao New Plymoutho Whangareio Far Northo 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 Safer Gambling Venues?o The Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction)

Amendment Act – Pre-commitment?o Department’s Harm Minimisation Regulations

Review?