Reducing and preventing harm
Gambling venues are ideally placed to implement measures to reduce the risk of harm from gambling, as well as to recognise and respond to signs of harm amongst their members who gamble. Your frontline staff interact with your members on a regular basis, your Gambling Contact Officers are trained and experienced hospitality professionals, and your CEOs and managers can be leaders in strengthening a culture of member care. These staff all have an important part to play in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of your members as they enjoy themselves at your venue.
The Code of Practice provides mandatory requirements with which venues must comply, but consider developing policies and procedures specific to your venue.
Your venue needs to take measures to ensure the safety of members and customers, as well as of staff. Many of your patrons and staff will have been, and could still be, under considerable emotional and financial stress due to COVID-19. Patrons may be more vulnerable to gambling harm. This makes the role of your staff in providing a supportive and safe environment for your patrons more important than ever.
Look for signs of gambling harm
RECOGNISE – Look for and recognise the signs of gambling harm (see our Resources for venues page)
REPORT – Make sure behaviours of concern are recorded in the Gambling Incident Register
RESPOND – Weigh up all the information you have about this patron and decide on an appropriate response
RECORD – Enter your response and the outcome in the Gambling Incident Register
The Gambling Incident Register is there to help you keep track of gambling harm in your venue. By knowing and looking for the signs of gambling harm, and being responsive when you see them, you can take appropriate steps to assist your patrons.
Starting a conversation, listening to your customers and knowing the options means your patrons can get information that meets their needs.
Support your Gambling Contact Officers
A Gambling Contact Officer (GCO) is the main point of contact for patrons and staff for gambling issues. Each licensee of a gambling facility must have at least one GCO who can be contacted when required.
GCOs are out on the floor with your patrons. They are well placed to recognise and respond to signs of gambling harm, to start a conversation and to provide information to patrons. They are the main point of contact for patrons and staff for gambling issues.
All staff that deal with patrons who gamble should undertake gambling harm prevention training, as well as complete regular refresher training. Visit our Training page for more information. Once staff have received training, it is important that management check that they can put it into practice and that they receive the support they need to do so.
Managers are encouraged to have regular discussions with venue staff about what’s happening on the job. Talk through their responses, what they have done well, and what they could have done differently. You may want to incorporate these discussions into staff meetings so everyone can keep learning.
This page provides information on the training available for staff directly involved in providing gambling services to patrons, their supervisors and venue Board members.
This page provides resources that will help your venue prevent and respond to gambling harm.
This page provides resources (posters and digital assets) for your venue to communicate gambling harm prevention tips and supports to patrons.
This page provides information for licensees needing to exclude a person from gambling at their venue(s), including as a result of concerns raised by family and friends.