HEALTH experts in Brimbank are divided about a controversial proposal which could lead to electronic gaming venues being sued if they fail to stop problem gamblers playing the pokies.
While some backed the proposal floated by a quartet of federal MPs, others said they did not believe it was an answer to the area’s crippling gambling problems.
Independents Andrew Wilkie and Nick Xenophon, Greens MP Richard Di Natale and Democratic Labor Party MP John Madigan claim that, in many cases, gaming venue staff are not intervening even when gambling addiction is clear.
The MPs also support punters’ winnings being forfeited if they gamble after voluntarily excluding themselves from venues.
Brimbank has Victoria’s highest level of gambling losses with more than $145.6 million being lost on gaming machines in the city last financial year. Data from the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation shows the city’s gamblers lost more than $400,000 a day in 2011-12.
But the Australian Hotels Association’s state assistant chief executive, Paddy O’Sullivan, slammed the proposal.
He said extensive treatment services were available to addicts, including self-exclusion programs, counselling services funded by gambling venues through state taxes and support programs through the Gambler’s Help network.
Mr O’Sullivan said the proposal took away personal responsibility. “It has to be a shared responsibility between the patron and consumer,” he said. “The individual needs to be able to make an informed choice about using gaming machines and also about how they conduct themselves. It’s like suing a brewery because a person becomes an alcoholic.”
Financial counsellor at Good Shepherd Family Services in St Albans, Anna Dooland, welcomed the idea and said gaming venues had a duty of care. “There is a moral obligation for staff to step in and make sure that person receives support,” she said. “If that doesn’t happen, I see no issue with the organisation being held accountable.”
Ms Dooland said gambling was a huge issue in Brimbank and caused unprecedented trauma within families. “It causes an awful lot of friction and there’s so much shame associated with gambling addiction, so not only does it impact a family’s finances, the addict is also overcome with guilt and their self-esteem and worth is greatly impacted.”
HealthWest project manager James Dunne said there were better ways of enforcing venues’ duty of care. He called for stricter licensing requirements and better-trained staff.
Federal Gorton Labor MP Brendan O’Connor said the government wanted to introduce pre-commitment technology for every machine in Australia, as well as electronic warnings. “We want to get on with delivering these lasting changes for problem gamblers, but first we need the support of the Parliament to make it happen.”
