Partner News – final edition 2024

Welcome to the final edition of Partner News to come from the Foundation. We thank all our partners and stakeholders for contributing to this newsletter over the years, and for sharing your stories about, and insights into, the important work of preventing and reducing gambling harm in the Victorian community.

Subscribers to Partner News will continue to receive updates and news from us – albeit with a fresh new look and Department of Health branding – very soon.

We look forward to discovering the new opportunities that our transition to other government agencies will bring, and to applying the vast experience and knowledge we have built together towards a Victoria free from gambling-related harm.

Bill to dissolve the Foundation passed

The Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation Repeal and Advisory Councils Bill 2024 was passed by the Victorian Parliament on 20 June and received royal assent on 25 June. Accordingly, the Foundation will cease operating on 30 June.

Before the Bill was passed, it was amended to include a requirement for a review to be undertaken approximately three years post-transition to look at the efficiency and delivery of the Foundation’s functions under the new model.

The amendment was proposed by the Greens, whose support for the Bill was secured with agreement by the Government to:

• a default $50 daily limit for the mandated pre-commitment card when introduced into hotels and clubs (customers will be able to change the limit as they wish)
• review and improve the current Community Benefit Statements (a program by which clubs reduce their tax payments by contributing some gambling revenue to community projects and groups)
• continued advocacy by Victoria, through the Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, to the Commonwealth related to gambling advertising.

Our reconciliation journey

The Foundation has released Our reconciliation journey – a thank you to all the First Nations individuals and organisations who have advised us and shared their cultural knowledge.

The document covers what we have learned and achieved since developing our first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and First Nations community engagement strategy.

Through the implementation of our RAPs, the Foundation strengthened our focus on engaging staff and stakeholders in reconciliation.

We took practical steps to build respectful relationships and create opportunities for First Nations people, ensuring that programs and activities that affect First Nations people also have First Nations leadership.

We understood our role in providing funding and support to the First Nations organisations that deliver the First Nations Gambling Awareness Program: to give them what they need to get the job done, then get out of their way.

Alongside our successes, the document also acknowledges the challenges we faced, and what we could have done better.

‘We have travelled a great distance on our journey,’ says Foundation Board Chair Tass Mousaferiadis. ‘It has been enlightening and inspiring, and it is not over.

‘While the Foundation is closing, staff members will carry their knowledge of reconciliation, self-determination and treaty forward into their new roles in new agencies, with pride and commitment.’

New report shines a spotlight on pokies environments

More than a third of all gambling harm experienced in Victoria (37.7 per cent) relates to pokies use – higher than for any other product.

The Electronic gaming machine environment study – Wave 2 is an analysis of data from surveys of pokies users and gambling venue staff. The ongoing Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation study is exploring pokies environments and their connection with harm.

Led by senior research officer Luke Duffy, the study provides a snapshot of the environment at Victorian pokies venues and the attitudes and behaviours of customers and staff.

Conducted annually, the project provides important insights to inform the review and improvement of harm minimisation policies and approaches. It is also producing critical data to help evaluate and monitor changes over time.

Read the full report here.

Taking a gamble on alcohol: New report explores the relationship between alcohol use, gambling participation and associated harms

A new Foundation-funded study explores the relationship between alcohol use and gambling participation and their associated harms in Victoria. Led by Dr Koen Smit, a team of researchers at the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research at La Trobe University analysed data from a subsample of 2,704 Victorian adults who were asked about both their gambling and alcohol use.

The report describes the groups most commonly participating in drinking and gambling, the relationship between alcohol use and gambling participation and harm and describes this relationship in different demographic and socio-economic populations.

Accompanying the findings that heavy episodic drinking and alcohol use while gambling are associated with risky gambling and gambling harm, this report discusses the implications and opportunities for harm prevention measures.

Read the full report here.

Did they return? New study delves into the experiences of Victorian users of venue-based pokies during COVID-19

When COVID-19 forced the closure of Victorian gambling venues, what happened to those who could no longer use pokies?

A recently released study funded by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation investigated the effects of COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions on users of venue-based pokies.

Based on the experiences of pokies users before, during and after lockdowns, the study examines a broad range of topics, including participation in alternative activities and types of gambling, management of gambling urges and use of coping strategies, changes in gambling behaviour, and how many people returned to pokies following lockdowns.

Read the full report here.

Catalyst or circuit breaker? How COVID-19 lockdowns affected gambling behaviour

With COVID-19 lockdowns enforced across the country, the availability of gambling was restricted. But what impact did these restrictions have on the community?

A newly released study funded by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation investigated the effects of COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions on gambling availability. By exploring the experiences of people who gambled across four timeframes before, during and after lockdowns, the study examined characteristics of people who stopped gambling and their wellbeing, those who transitioned into levels of harmful gambling, characteristics of people who gambled that were associated with different transitions in gambling behaviour and how the change in availability of gambling affected behaviours.

Read the full report here.

Venue Forum 2024

Representatives from four Gambler’s Help services – Banyule Community Health, IPC Health, The Salvation Army and Meli – hosted the Venue Forum 2024 at Kensington Town Hall to discuss with venue managers their commitment to gambling harm minimisation.

The hybrid event, which had 180 attendees, focused on fostering an environment that champions ongoing education and training for venue employees, ensuring they are able to keep up to date.

Others at the forum who shared valuable insights represented the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission, Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, Victoria Police, and the YourPlay Program.

Discussion topics included the ever-changing gambling environment, new Venue Better Practice Guidelines Checklists, shame and stigma, and help seeking.

A Q&A session led by Banyule Community Health Venue Support Worker Stuart Barton, with several venue managers, highlighted the value of regular engagement with Venue Support Workers (VSW) and explored strategies beyond basic compliance that have been put in place by venues to minimise gambling harm.

ReSPIN at Venue Forum

The Venue Forum also hosted ReSPIN speaker, Merapi, who shared her experiences of gambling harm and recovery. Merapi's open, honest manner allowed attendees to ask sensitive questions and generated an overwhelmingly positive response.

Comments about Merapi’s presentation included:

• ‘Hearing someone’s actual experience like that gives you a different perspective on gambling harm. It’s not just a word that is used at training and meetings.’
• ‘Putting a face to gambling harm, makes you think about what we do and that we could actually have a positive impact on someone’s life.’
• ‘It makes, you think about our regular customers and whether we could change or do more in relation to our interactions with them.’

Meli’s Shanah McMahon emphasised the importance of hearing from people with lived experience to understand the effects of gambling harm and the supports that can help with recovery.

‘As a Gambler’s Help financial counsellor, it gives me great hope that behaviours either learnt or handed down can be changed and lives affected can be rebuilt,' she said.

A gateway to First Nations health event

The Gambler’s Help team at Gateway Health collaborated with Uncle Aaron, Ashley Gordon, and Uniting Vic Tas to deliver a gambling harm event at Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Service. Participants came from five local First Nations organisations, Albury Wodonga Ethnic Communities Council, two local councils, and both cross-border gambling support services.

Following a film viewing of Uncle Aaron's story, there was a discussion led by Uncle Aaron with the group about the gambling harm issues raised in the film. The film screening established a connection to the topic, while a yarning cards activity led by Ashley encouraged awareness raising and capacity building among the staff.

The synergy between these two activities enhanced participants' motivation to identify and respond to gambling harm, eventually leading to enquiries about gambling harm services.

Multicultural networking event

In April, the Gambler’s Help team at Latrobe Community Health Service (LCHS) hosted a networking event for multicultural service providers, local peak bodies and internal teams.

The focus was on building understanding of gambling harm as it relates to multicultural communities, promoting the services of the Gambler’s Help team, acknowledging community leaders, and strengthening relationships.

LCHS CEO Paul Ostrowski opened the session, which included a discussion led by the LCHS settlement services team and insights into what an individual can expect when accessing Gambler’s Help counselling services.

Rekha Devdas, LCHS Intake and Promotion Officer, performed a Bharatanatyam dance (classical dance originating from India) and the event concluded with networking and an opportunity to indulge in various cuisines.

Three Sides of the Coin – new videos

Three Sides of the Coin (3SOC) launched two new Recovery Gamble videos during an online event in May.

Attendees viewed Carolyn and Pauline’s raw and powerful stories and then participated in a Q&A session. Responses to the videos were emotional, eliciting comments such as, ‘both videos had my heart breaking and admiration soaring for the women involved’ and ‘a terrific experience and one that will impact on anyone seeing the film’.

3SOC is delivered by Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC) and uses storytelling as a method of recovery, peer support and community education. Participants are people who have experienced harm from their own or someone else’s gambling. They attend workshops and develop their stories into theatre.

For more information, contact Judy Avisar, Coordinator, via the Three Sides of the Coin website.

Wanted: Peer Connection volunteers

Peer Connection is seeking more volunteers across the state to help grow its phone-based program, which involves dedicated volunteers with lived experience of gambling harm providing support, understanding, and empathy to others in recovery.

To qualify, volunteers must have abstained from gambling for at least 12 months and be comfortable to discuss their experiences of harm with clients without becoming triggered.

Candidates undergo comprehensive training over 2–3 months before they are matched with suitable clients. Volunteers from rural/regional Victoria are eligible to participate in the program and provide phone support from their homes. For more information about the program, or to volunteer, email Peer Connection at pcintake@bchs.org.au or call 0419 272 497.

John has volunteered with Peer Connection for 13 years. We asked him about the experience.

Asset protection and gambling harm

24 July 2024, 2–4.30 pm (online)

Ever wondered, when a client is sitting in front of you and you’re aware their asset (car, house or other secured asset) is at serious risk, what the next steps and conversations with your client may be?

Come along to this Financial Victoria session to learn about asset protection strategies and processes. Learn from experts about various options available to those experiencing gambling harm, as well as their families.

Financial Victoria will also cover credit reporting data and blocks available to people considering how to protect their remaining assets from the perils of gambling harm.

To register you must be a Financial Counsellor.

Register here.

Gambling Harm: Working with an integrated practice lens

29 August 2024, 10 am–12.30 pm

This Financial Victoria seminar will discuss case studies of best practice when referring to, and working in, an integrated model to ensure the client receives best practice service.

An integrated practice looks at outcomes for people experiencing gambling harm when connected with counsellors, housing, legal and family violence services.

Attendees will hear from a financial counsellor, a therapeutic counsellor and community service about what works best for the client and for us. They will also learn why integrated practice is so important in this field and with those experiencing gambling harm (and their families).

To register you must be a Financial Counsellor.

Register here.

Venue: Online – webinar

Who to contact about Foundation activities post-30 June

The Foundation’s staff and functions are being transferred to other parts of government. If you would like to get in touch, visit the contact us section on the Foundation’s website for more information.

If you know the name of your contact, simply follow this email address formula: first name.last name@(justice or health or vgccc).vic.gov.au.

If unsure, send your email to contact@responsiblegambling.vic.gov.au and your email will be forwarded to the appropriate staff member.

Staff and functions are being transferred as follows:

Department of Justice and Community Safety: Knowledge & Policy, Research & Evaluation and Corporate Services (finance and governance matters).

Department of Health: Gambler’s Help, First Nations programs, Love the Game, Be Ahead of the Game, Venue Support Program, prevention grants and business systems, including IT and information management.

Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission: strategic communication, media, marketing and campaigns.

Foundation-related media enquiries can be directed to:

Fiona Skivington, Manager, Media & Communication
Email: fiona.skivington@vgccc.vic.gov.au
Mob: 0428 248 931