Responsible Gambling in three acts

I read today an interesting presentation by William Eadington of University of Nevada, Reno's Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gambling as presented at Midwest Conference on Problem Gambling and Substance Abuse 2004 held in Missouri, USA.

The presentation titled "Trends in Gambling and Responsible Gaming in the United States and Elsewhere" (and available here) presents an analysis of the responses to problem gambling by the key stakeholders.

He examines the reaction of the various 'actors' in his play which examines how gambling is handled by the community.

An interesting slide in his presentation concerns what Eadington call sub-plots. These include the following:

• The consumer is not a major player
• The Helping Services are getting bumped by higher priorities in the fiscal desperation
• The problem gambler is like the homeless derelict that many of us try to ignore as we walk through the city streets - Throw him a dollar from time to time , but easier to walk by, shake one's head and go to work.

This slide is very true on a number of levels. These issues are sub-plots - they aren't in the main game when it comes to legalised gambling and thus are treated as side effects rather than critical factors to be considered in the debate.

The consumer clearly is not a major player basically because their appetite for the product overshadows all other factors. This is especially true in Australia where the question is not whether a venue will make money, but how much will they make. Put a poker machine anywhere and you will find gamblers drawn to it.

Help services are often seen by governments and gambling operators as a neccessary evil. They would rather not have them but someone needs to handle the problem gamblers, so they exist. It is interesting to note that the original gaming act and policy under which gaming machines and the casino was legalised in Victoria did not include the provision of help services.

And problem gamblers are those unfortunate people that are either predisposed to getting a problem or can't control their gambling because of other issues in their lives - or at least that is the message that we are delivered. As long as YOU stay in control YOU will be okay, its got nothing to do with the machines or industry practices.

Until these issues stop being subplots and become key issues, either "Denial" or "Lip Service" will be the stages where the debate in Australia remains.

GG