A Wagga gambling help counsellor has called for more transparency around a proposed shake-up of NSW's gambling laws.
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Belle Langridge, from the Wagga Family Support Services, has witness firsthand the devastating impact the addiction can have on individuals and their loved ones.
"We've noticed especially over the COVID times that there is an increase in online gambling," she said.
"But also once pubs and clubs opened, we noticed once again an influx of returning clients coming back and going, 'I need a bit more help. I thought I was going okay during the exclusion'.
"So we've noticed it is climbing, and unfortunately, because of online gambling, it is targeting people who are a lot younger."
While she is supportive of measures that seek to assist those struggling, Ms Langridge wants to see more detail around just what these laws could entail.
The Gaming Machines Amendment (Gambling Harm Minimisation) Bill 2020 includes a scheme in clubs and hotels, in which family members can request that venues ban someone whose problem gambling behaviours are causing harm to themselves or others.
It would also see venues fined up thousands for failing to stop self-excluded gamblers and would require forfeiture of winnings from an excluded person or a minor to the Responsible Gambling Fund.
Some of the proposed measures also suggest the installation of facial recognition technology.
Ms Langridge wants to see more information about how these processes will be monitored and what they could involve, adding it was important that measures did not exacerbate the situation - particularly when it comes to family members being able to nominate someone.
She explained at the moment, someone who wishes to take some control back can go to an individual club to ban themselves but needs to go through an organisation to ban them from gambling at multiple locations.
"We don't know whether it [the system for third-party exclusion] will be someone nominating and filling out the forms themselves and we're excluded from that, or if it's them filling out the forms and then coming to us and then we an evaluation," Ms Langridge added.
"We need more information."
- Anyone at all who might have concerns about their own gambling, or are affected by anyone else's gambling, can call the Wagga Family Support Services gambling help team on 6921 7544 or head to waggafamilysupport.org.au/gambling-help-counselling.
Pubs respond to proposed changes
ClubsNSW CEO Josh Landis said while the industry is committed to harm minimisation, the proposed changes had gone too far, too soon.
"Gaming revenue has fallen 14 per cent year-on-year as a result of the 10-week industry shutdown, while food and beverage takings are down 60 to 70 per cent," he said.
"I don't think anyone would agree that the middle of a pandemic is the right time to introduce onerous new compliance requirements."
AHA NSW CEO John Whelan said the industry has a proven record of supporting good harm-minimisation policy.
"Eighteen years ago, AHA NSW and ClubsNSW began operating a self-exclusion program - two years before the introduction of compulsory self-exclusion," Mr Whelan said.
"In 2009, the industry recommended legislation be developed to allow family members to intervene to stop a loved one with a gambling problem. Unfortunately, this was rejected by government.
"We continue to support good harm-minimisation policy, however, we have concerns with this bill. We don't believe our patrons want to be monitored through facial recognition each and every time they catch up with mates at the pub."