Fed Govt to attack problem gambling on many fronts

In what continues to be a surprising yet promising development, the first major policy release by the newly returned coalition government here in Australia is a response to problem gambling.

Melbourne's Herald-Sun has published an article detailing the government's proposed "assault on problem gambling." (PDF of article here)

For the first time it appears that a serious centralised effort with targeted solutions to the various different categories of gambler will be used including in-school prevention strategies to attempt to prevent young people from joining the growing population of 18 to 25 year old problem gamblers.

The article also says that the government is examining a range of tactics to combat the impact of problem gambling on families:

USING doctors to help identify and treat problem gamblers.

SETTING up a national gaming research institute.

A GREATER role for Centrelink staff to identify problem gamblers and direct them to counselling.

NEW regulations on ATMs at gaming venues.

Also the new University-based Gaming Research Institute would have satellite centres across the nation aimed at helping provide information to governments for making policy decisions on gambling.

A federal government taking such public action on this issue can only be welcomed. We will of course have to wait until the plans and proposals become actions before we can truly assess the impact of this policy, but at least it is a promising development.

What do you think of this development with the Federal Government taking an interest in problem gambling? Will it make a difference?

GG