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New Zealand
New Zealand has passed regulatory legislation, which will be fully in effect in 2009, in an attempt to address the issue of problem gambling by implementing harm minimization standards.
These standards include: (from the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs Gambling Act 2003 Fact Sheet 32)
- Limiting the number of machines in any one venue.
- Operators of casinos and gaming machine venues must provide information and assistance to people who they have reason to believe may be problem gamblers, and may issue exclusion orders prohibiting such people from entering the gaming area. Operators must also issue exclusion orders to self-identified problem gamblers as well as problem gamblers that are identified by personnel at the gaming venue.
- No one under the age of 18 may play gaming machines outside of a casino and no one under the age of 20 may gamble in a casino.
- Gaming machines accepting banknotes must be modified to accept a maximum denomination of $20 NZD (11/14/05 =$13.64 USD)
- Internet gambling is prohibited, except as operated by the Racing Board and Lotteries Commission.
- The cost of gambling addiction treatment services are paid for by a levy on player expenditures.
- Does not allow gambling in any venue where the primary activity is anything other than onsite entertainment. Supermarkets, fast food outlets, offices, private residences, sports stadiums, theme parks, amusement parks, vehicles, vessels, aircraft, internet cafes, libraries, any place of worship, etc.
- Limits the non-casino gaming machine to a stake limit of $2.50 NZD (11/14/05 = $1.71) and prize limits to $500 NZD (11/14/05 = $340.97 USD) for a single machine and $1,000 NZD (11/14/05 = $681.94 USD) for a linked machine jackpot.
- Bans ATMs from gambling areas in casinos and non-casino venues and from all dedicated New Zealand Racing Board venues.
- Requires operators to provide information on odds of winning and the basic characteristics of problem gambling and how to seek advice for problem gambling.
- Requires signage by operators, casinos, and the New Zealand Board of Racing to encourage players to bet at levels that they can afford and contain advice on how to seek assistance for problem gambling.
- Prohibits all casino and non-casino gaming machine jackpot branding and advertising that is visible/audible from outside of the venue.
- Requires casinos, gaming machine operators and the New Zealand Racing Board to provide problem gambling awareness training. Each non-casino venue must have training for the manager and any personnel to assure that there is always a trained staff member present when gambling activities are available to players. Casino venues must train the manager and ALL employees of the venue who are in direct contact with players in the course of their duties. The New Zealand Racing Board must provide training to each employee involved in supervising racing betting or sports betting at a Board venue.
- Problem gambling awareness training must, at a minimum, enable trained staff members to:
- Approach any player that they have reasonable grounds to believe may be experiencing difficulties relating to problem gambling.
- Provide information to players about the characteristics of problem gambling.
- Provide information to players about the potential risks and consequences of problem gambling
- Provide information to players about how to access problem gambling services.
- Remind players that if the venue manager or the casino operator has reasonable grounds to believe that a player is a problem gambler they can ban that player from the gambling area of the venue for up to 2 years.
- Remind players that they can identify themselves as a problem gambler and that they can request the manager or casino operator to exclude them from the gambling area of the venue for up to 2 years.
- Requires that all new gaming machines (as of 2009, all machines) have design features that if the player elects will provide the player with information on:
- Game characteristics including the odds of winning, the average winnings paid out to players of the game over a period of time or number of plays, and the maximum and minimum spend rate for the game.
- Individual player information including the duration of the session of play, the amount of money the player has spent and net wins and net losses during their session of play.
- Require all new gaming machines to have design features that interrupts play at irregular intervals not exceeding 30 minutes of continuous play and informs the player of the duration of their session of play, the amount of money the player has spent and net wins and net losses during the session of play. The feature must ask the player if they wish to continue to play. If they elect not to continue, the gaming machine must automatically pay out any credits owed to the player.
- Gaming machines must display the current time while they are in use.
SKYCITY Entertainment, the operator of several casinos in New Zealand, takes the self-exclusion policy a little further. Self-exclusion is voluntary and remains in effect for one year. However, the gambler must meet reentry requirements prior to being allowed to return to the gaming areas.
SKYCITY’s policies allow “concerned third parties” such as family members, casino staff, counselors, ministers, friends, employers or the court to request the gambler’s exclusion. Exclusion* is an action SKYCITY can take if someone who cares about you (a third party) is worried because your gambling seems out of control and is causing harm, but you have said no to self-identified exclusion. If SKYCITY is convinced that the third party’s concern is genuine and justified then it will take the step to exclude you for two years to help you control your gambling.
The reentry conditions are:
- No breach of your exclusion for the previous six months
- Providing proof that you have attended at least six counseling sessions with a counseling service.
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