Harm - Department of Internal Affairs

Harm Minimisation Update Regional Forums 2013

Gambling Act 2003 • Purpose: Prevent and minimise the harm caused by gambling, including problem gambling

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

• “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

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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.

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Ministry of Health: Responsible for development of integrated gambling strategy focused on public health. o

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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.

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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 legislation o

Audits and investigates

• Develops / Approves: Licence conditions o Game rules o Gazette notices o Minimum standards o

Department of Internal Affairs

Role of Gambling Providers •

Gambling providers play an important role in minimising and preventing harm caused by gambling.

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Regulations include: •

Requirement to provide information about problem gambling

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Requirement to provide problem gambling awareness training

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Act includes: •

Age restrictions

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Requirements relating to development, and use of problem gambling policy

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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. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Declare certain venues unsuitable. Prohibit ATMs from gambling area. Max stake = $2.50 / max prize = $500 - $1000. Gaming machines must display messages. Gaming machines must interrupt play. Jackpot advertising / branding restricted. Requirement to provide information about problem gambling 8. 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 harmminimisation 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 selfcontrol: 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.”

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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 o o o o o o o

Masterton (and surrounding areas) Porirua Palmerston North Wairoa New Plymouth Whangarei Far North 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 •

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prevention and minimisation) Next meeting - scheduled for around November (TBC). Potential topics: o o o

Safer Gambling Venues? The Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Act – Pre-commitment? Department’s Harm Minimisation Regulations Review? Department of Internal Affairs