Pokie debate ‘scares workers’

JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
AUSTRALIA’S gambling debate has left pub and club staff across Geelong fearful for their jobs, according to Australian Hotels Association president Peter Burnett.
“This whole debate hasn’t been helping our staff,” said Mr Burnett, who operates Newtown gaming venue Lord of the Isles Tavern.
“They’re asking whether they have a future in the hospitality industry – will we have a job?
“We’ve been telling them they have but it is unsettling for them.”
The debate flared after Gambling Awareness Week and release of Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie’s mandatory pre-commitment policy in late May.
One in six regular poker machine players develop a serious addiction, according to Geelong welfare agency Bethany.
Figures released last week showed the average electronic gaming machine expenditure in City of Greater Geelong was $670, higher than Melbourne at $649 and country Victoria’s $503.
Gamblers put $112.7 million through pokies in Geelong’s 25 venues in 2009/2010.
Mr Burnett said Geelong had ample help for problem gamblers.
“Being local, it’s easier to get on to a counsellor and get someone help when required,” he said.
“All venues have posters with the contact phone numbers up, staff are trained to spot people with potential issues and the self-exclusion program is going well.”
Mr Burnett rejected Mr Wilkie’s push for a mandatory pre-commitment system to limit how much gamblers spent on each pokies session.
“That’s not the way to go,” Mr Burnett said.
“You need to get to them before problem gamblers get to the venue. The problem gambler will find a way around it.
“We can’t lose sight of all the good things pubs and clubs do in Geelong – employment, investment, helping the community – and the flow-on effect (of pre-commitment regulations) to suppliers and other businesses connected with the industry would be enormous.
“At the end of the day individuals are responsible for their own actions.”
Bethany chief executive officer Grant Boyd said research revealed 18-to-24-year-olds lost more on pokies than any other age group.
“Anecdotally, problems are developing early in teenage years. Access to gambling is easier but their judgment is not yet fully developed,” Mr Boyd said.
He believed access to on-line gambling the close association between sport and gambling were “serious issues” for young age groups.
“There is a need for more local research on impact of these developments,” Mr Boyd said.
Any protection mechanism should be supported, he believed.
“We need to ramp up efforts around prevention.”
Mr Boyd said prevention mechanisms had to be weighed against the cost of implementation to venues.
• Bethany’s Gamblers Help line is 5278 8122.