Gamble Free Day on September 1st

New Zealand’s Problem Gambling Foundation will be holding its fourth annual Gamble Free Day on September 1st, 2012. With problem gambling becoming a growing problem across the country, it is important to raise awareness about the issue. Gamble Free Day aims to ensure that Kiwis are well aware of the issue of problem gambling, providing fun activities to get the message across.

Scribe is a local rapper who has struggled with gambling addiction and has made it a mission to ensure that other young people do not follow the same path. As such, he has played a large role in this year’s Gamble Free Day. His Scribe With Us Competition encouraged young performers to write songs about gambling addiction in the weeks leading up to the event.

Throughout New Zealand, several family-friendly activities and events will be held. For example, Scribe, Tyree and finalists from the Scribe With Us competition will be performing in Auckland while other cities across the country also host live music events.

So, be sure to take your family out on Gamble Free Day this year. It is a great way to keep your children informed about problem gambling and spread the word about awareness.

Should Casinos Pay Back Profits Derived From Crime?

As reports continue to surface about individuals using stolen money to gamble, politicians have raised a new issue concerning the responsibility of casino operators. They believe that casinos should be financially responsible for the money that is stolen from individuals to gamble, a controversial new perspective.

According to ONE News, Denise Roche of the Greens believe that stolen money should go back to those from whom it was taken. On behalf of her party, she states that casinos are the only ones that do not suffer when it comes to theft:

“The addict is jailed, and loses their job, their family and friends. Their employer can be ruined,” says Roche. “But the casino is better off as a result of the crime”.

The Greens stance has already inspired a great deal of support. Hone Harawira of the Mana Party has already stated that he backs the initiative. He believes that casinos have a moral obligation, and that operators should offer some financial assistance to those who have been affected by gambling theft.

Sky City to Monitor Gambler Behaviour

Sky City is raising eyebrows in New Zealand yet again. After half a year of various controversies, the land-based casino operator is making problem gambling experts nervous all over again. This time, the issue has to do with the company’s new monitoring practices, aimed at determining which players are at risk of becoming problem gamblers.

The local casino operator will be using data collected from player loyalty cards to analyze their gambling habits. Sky City wants to determine which players are potential problem gamblers, so as to ensure that they do not cause any harm. However, experts from the Problem Gambling Foundation do not believe that Sky City’s intentions are as innocent as that.

”SkyCity could use that material for its own purposes to keep people gambling for longer periods,” says Problem Gambling Foundation CEO Graeme Ramsey.

Experts also believe that Sky City will have to do a lot more work to prevent problem gambling if the company uses this information. They believe that the operator will have more responsibility to intervene if they have access to this sort of data. Considering SkyCity’s recent past in the country’s gambling market, that may not be something that the operator can handle at the moment.

Details About International Gambling Conference Released

The Crown Hotel Plaza in New Zealand will be the host site of the International Gambling Conference for 2012. This year’s event will be the 4th anniversary of the conference, marking a significant dedication to safe and responsible gambling around the world.

This year’s theme is “Shaping the Future of Gambling – Positive Change through Policy, Practice and Research”. Researchers, operators and problem gambling advocates from around the world will gather at the event to present and share their ideas about where the gambling industry is headed. Topic are likely to include online gambling, mobile gambling and regulation.

On the first day, two very influential individuals will make keynote speeches. Manuka Henare, Associate Dean of the University of Auckland Business School will speak about the link between entertainment and gambling while former rugby player Ashley Gordon will present his views on problem gambling in aboriginal communities.

Nick Xenophon will also make an appearance at the event. On February 24th, he will present his views on gambling reform, an issue that is well-known to be very important to him.

With these events and more, New Zealand’s International Gambling Conference is expected to be a an important examination of safe and responsible gambling in the country.

Gambling Venues Struggle to Enforce Self-Exclusion

In New Zealand, gambling venue operators are required to provide a self-exclusion program for problem gambling. However, club owners seem to be having problems enforcing the provision, which is aimed at keeping problem gamblers out of casinos and other gambling locations.

According to a recent radio report, the Problem Gambling Foundation states that local gaming venues are having a hard time with being able to keep up with the number of gamblers who wish to be banned. Club managers do not seem to have an effective enough system to keep out all those who have requested to be a part of their self-exclusion programs.

The Problem Gambling Foundation suggests that all venues request photo ID upon entering the venue. This way, employees can effectively refuse entry to those on the self-exclusion list.

As part of these programs, self-excluded players could face fines up to $500, while venues may be required to pay upwards of $10 000. This method has proven to be effective in other countries, but if venue managers cannot keep players out, it will prove to be a futile attempt at fighting problem gambling.