Gambling Problem Nz

1. 'In New Zealand there's not a lot of treatment options available,' says Mr Driver, 'a lot of people have been contacting places like the problem gambling foundation or Salvation Army gambling.
2. Gambling Helpline New Zealand provides a 24 hour, free helpline for people who are concerned about their own or someone else’s gambling. You can call the helpline for counselling, advice, or a referral to another gambling support organisation. You can call them on 0800 654 655 or text them on 8006. They also have specialist services for.
3. Gambling harm, or problem gambling, is defined by the Gambling Act 2003 as ‘harm or distress of any kind arising from, or caused or exacerbated by, a person’s gambling, and includes personal, social or economic harm suffered by the person, their spouse, partner, family, whanau and wider community, or in their workplace or society at large’.

Publications relating to problem gambling in New Zealand. This publication reports on the gambling harm minimisation outcomes that have been achieved since the passage of the Gambling Act in 2003.

Auckland Council is expected to vote this week to maintain its sinking lid policy for pokie machines in the region.

But a new report to the council's Regulatory Committee illustrates the sheer scale of problem gambling in South Auckland.

According to the council report over half the people in Auckland seeking treatment for pokie machine gambling addictions are from South Auckland. And just over half of those seeking help are gaming machine users.

New figures released by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) show South Auckland had both the largest number of machines and the highest pokie expenditure for the three months to June 30. Gamblers in the Papakura area spent $1,759,727 on 198 machines, while in Manukau pokie machine users spent $2,710,110 on 180 machines.

Under the Gambling Act 2003, Auckland Council must have its own gambling venue policy and set out whether the council will allow new venues to be established and if so, where they can be located.

In 2013 Auckland Council agreed to a sinking lid policy for Class 4 pokie machine venues. The policy means no new consents are issued for new venues and prevents the machines from one club being transferred to another if it closes, helping to reduce the overall number of machines.

But under the policy two licensed venues can merge if they reduce the number of machines they have by one-sixth.

In a report to Tuesday's Auckland Council's Regulatory Committee, council officers recommended maintaining the existing sinking lid policy as the number of operators and machines were continuing to decrease. The number of pokie venues in Auckland has decreased by 13 percent since 2016.

But despite the results the majority of the venues continue to be located in high-deprivation areas like South Auckland.

The last review of the council's gambling policy in 2016 found the number of machines had decreased by 11 percent, but overall takings had increased by 10 percent.

Problem Gambling Foundation spokesperson Andree Froude said while the council's sinking lid policy was one way to reduce the harm caused by gaming machines, by itself it isn't enough.

'Sinking lids take so long because they rely on venues closing, and we're not seeing that in our more deprived communities in areas like South Auckland,' she said. 'When you walk down the street in South Auckland there are venues everywhere.

'We're still seeing the impact of gambling harm on people in these communities. These people are losing money to gambling they can't afford to lose.'

Froude said despite the fact the number of pokie machines was declining, the amount people were spending wasn't.

'The spending on pokies is going up and up.'

Froude said the wider issue of community groups being funded by pokie machine proceeds also needed to be addressed, because the money was coming from the country's poorest communities.

According to the Auckland Council report 40 percent of pokie machine proceeds were turned into grants to community organisations.

The council report cited a Ministry of Health 2017 study which found individual gambling produced the same level of harm as high alcohol consumption, anxiety and depression.

'Cumulatively the harm is close to twice that of drug use disorders, bipolar affective disorder, eating disorders and schizophrenia combined.'

The council report said Māori public health organisation Hāpai te Hauora identified that, along with the immediate financial impact problem gambling had, it could also result in criminal activity, child neglect, depression and anxiety and strained relationships.

But according to the Ministry of Health only 16 percent of problem gamblers seek treatment.

Auckland Council Regulatory Committee chairperson Linda Cooper said she couldn't comment or vote on the issue as she had a conflict of interest as president of the Waitakere Licensing Trust, a West Auckland-based trust which operates pokie machines.

The Regulatory Committee's deputy chairperson Josephine Bartley was unavailable for comment.

Local Democracy Reporting is a public interest news service supported by RNZ, the News Publishers' Association and NZ On Air.

Copyright © 2020, Radio New Zealand

There are a number of apps that aim to support people with addiction problems including gambling harm. However, few apps for gambling harm have had professional input during development or have undergone formal evaluation. There are also a number of apps that may do more harm than good.

Apps for problem gambling have the potential to provide users with helpful features such as skills to handle urges to gamble, enhance motivation, promote social support and tools to monitor progress. On this page you fill find information on:

Apps and tools that may be helpful

Online Problem Gambling Nz

The following are examples of apps and tools that have the potential to help people with experiencing gambling harm. Note: It's important that these apps and tools are used together with other therapies such as seeking professional help.

Gambling Problem Nz Latest

Online gambling blockers

Online gambling blockers are software tools to help you limit your online gambling by blocking access to gambling websites. In the following videos the Salvation Army Oasis services have reviewed a few online gambling blockers, including information of how to access the software and a summary of the pros and cons of each. Read more about online gambling blockers.

Gambling harm apps that are not recommended

The following are examples of gambling harm apps that are not recommended. These summaries give insight into the sorts of things that make some gambling harm apps unfavourable.

BetQuit

The aim of this app is to provide fast filtering of online gaming websites on Android devices by becoming the default browser on the device. It aims to prevent users from accessing online gaming websites by blocking these sites (similar to antiviral software).

Comment (Dr Carlos Lam Yang, GP, East Health Trust)
I would not recommend this app to anyone as it appears to be focused on making money for the developer for what is essentially a browser with some extra codes to block gambling-related websites. Also, if you are seriously addicted, you would not install this app in the first place. Even if you did, you could easily uninstall it again. Also, it does not prevent you from accessing gambling websites on another device or computer. I would advise people not to waste their money on this app.
Safety concerns

• Unsure if BetQuit browser also transfers all your settings, passwords and credit card data from your existing browser into its memory bank and provides secure-enough high-level encryption to ensure that it does not get tampered with or hacked.
• Unsure where this app was developed – no mention of developers’ names or country of origin.
• Cost: $8.99/month on Android, $5/month on iOS. Does not allow free trial with reduced features or time-limited free trial. Multiple spelling mistakes on website. Need to register using Facebook, email or creating an account – does not allow option of being anonymous if you just want to try it out.

Gambling Problem Signs

Addiction Avert

This app aims to be a self-help tool for clients with gambling addiction.

Comment (Alice Wang, Project Coordinator, Asian Family Services)
People with addiction are a very particular population who need lots of motivation to control their behaviour and strengthen their confidence to change. This app doesn’t look like it has enough of this kind of function. The function is not very practical as it is no different from a notebook. I can only see the function of this app as being like a memo. The layout of the app is not presentable.

The importance of robust evidence: SPGeTTI app

The New Zealand Ministry of Health invested in research into a smart phone app, called SPGeTTI, to support people with a gambling problem, in particular for those using electronic gambling machines (pokies). The app intended to use geo-positioning technology to deliver a behavioural support programme to deliver timely messages at moments of high risk, eg, when the person was close to a gambling venue in Auckland.¹
However, during the course of the study, problems arose with poor uptake of the app, technology limitations with regard to geo-positioning and issues such as shame and privacy with regard to others seeing the app on their phone. Despite this, participants indicated ongoing interest in smart phones apps as a tool for supporting people experiencing harm from gambling.
The results of the research have been used to inform the Ministry's thinking about the policy and use of such technology to promote gambling harm minimisation, and to inform decision making about similar research investments in the future.
This case study shows how important it is that apps for gambling harm get professional input during development or undergo formal evaluation. Read more

Learn more

References

1. Humphrey G, Newcombe D, Whittaker R, Parag V, Bullen C. SPGeTTI – a smartphone-based problem gambling evaluation and technology testing initiative final report National Institute for Health Innovation, The University of Auckland, 2019.

Disclaimer: Health Navigator’s app library is a free consumer service to help you decide whether a health app would be suitable for you. Our review process is independent. We have no relationship with the app developers or companies and no responsibility for the service they provide. This means that if you have an issue with one of the apps we have reviewed, you will need to contact the app developer or company directly.