We
noted last month how the push for mandatory betting limits in Australia was, perhaps inadvertently, promoting enhanced self-exclusion as a sort of compromise from opponents of the mandatory limits. Voluntary self-limitation is
another policy that is garnering support:
Australia's biggest pokies operator Woolworths has lobbied the federal
opposition to tackle problem gambling with voluntary pre-commitment
measures, despite the limited success of its own trial of optional bet
limit cards....At last year's Woolworths annual general meeting, it was revealed only
11 per cent of registered players had taken up an offer of voluntary
cards under the ALH trial, which started in 2009.
Eleven percent seems fairly significant to me. Meanwhile, in New South Wales, the potential to self-exclude from multiple venues, and to do so over the internet,
also is being introduced:
WITH just the click of a button, problem gamblers living anywhere in
NSW will be able to use a secure website to ban themselves from their
local clubs....The technology allows problem gamblers
to complete a legally binding self exclusion document in the presence
of a gambling counsellor or a trained facilitator at their local club.
Previously the individual had to visit each club individually.
Additionally,
the problem gambler can now choose to ban themselves from multiple
clubs rather than the time consuming process of visiting each venue and
repeating the process time and again. Problem gamblers are provided with
the following self-exclusion options: banning from the club, banning
from any area of the club with poker machines and banning from any area
of the club where gambling takes place such as poker machines, Keno and
ClubTAB.
The internet sign-up is probably an upgrade over an earlier, unfortunate suggestion from Victoria, Australia, that those seeking to self-exclude
call a hotline that, uh, promotes betting.
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