TY - JOUR
T1 - What is the evidence for harm minimisation measures in gambling venues?
AU - Livingstone, Charles Henry
AU - Rintoul, Angela
AU - Francis, Louise Janine
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - The use of electronic gambling machines (EGMs) in Australia and New Zealand constitutes the largest
sector of the gambling industry. The costs arising from the harms of gambling detract significantly
from its benefits, and in all Australian jurisdictions various policy measures have been implemented to
reduce these harms. If successful, these would maximise the net benefits associated with EGM
gambling. This article reviews the available evidence for a range of these practices, particularly those
implemented within EGM venues via `codes of practice?. These codes of practice are intended to give
effect to the principles of `responsible gambling? within EGM venues. These measures are: selfexclusion,
signage, messages, interaction with gamblers, the removal of ATMs from gambling venues,
and `responsible gambling? assessed overall in a venue context. In addition, we review the evidence in
support of two major recommendations of the Productivity Commission?s 2010 report into gambling,
pre-commitment and one-dollar maximum wagers. We conclude that there is a modest level of
evidence supporting some measures, notably self-exclusion and, to a greater extent, the removal of
ATMs. There is also some evidence that `responsible gambling? measures have, collectively, reduced
the harms associated with gambling. However, there is limited evidence available to confirm the
effectiveness of most individual `responsible gambling? measures actually implemented in venues.
Further, policy measures implemented outside the control of venues (such as ATM removal, reduction
in bet limits, and the prohibition of smoking) appear to be associated with more significant effects,
based on analysis of EGM revenue data in Victoria. The evidence for prospective measures is
necessarily limited since the ultimate test is post-implementation efficacy, but there is growing
evidence to suggest that pre-commitment, one-dollar maximum bets or other machine design changes
may yield significantly more effective harm minimisation effects than in-venue practices such as
signage or, indeed, self-exclusion. In considering evidence about the effects of existing or prospective
measures it is important to emphasise that packages of measures might be more effective than single
ones, and that an inability to confirm a statistically significant effect does not mean that no effect
exists.
AB - The use of electronic gambling machines (EGMs) in Australia and New Zealand constitutes the largest
sector of the gambling industry. The costs arising from the harms of gambling detract significantly
from its benefits, and in all Australian jurisdictions various policy measures have been implemented to
reduce these harms. If successful, these would maximise the net benefits associated with EGM
gambling. This article reviews the available evidence for a range of these practices, particularly those
implemented within EGM venues via `codes of practice?. These codes of practice are intended to give
effect to the principles of `responsible gambling? within EGM venues. These measures are: selfexclusion,
signage, messages, interaction with gamblers, the removal of ATMs from gambling venues,
and `responsible gambling? assessed overall in a venue context. In addition, we review the evidence in
support of two major recommendations of the Productivity Commission?s 2010 report into gambling,
pre-commitment and one-dollar maximum wagers. We conclude that there is a modest level of
evidence supporting some measures, notably self-exclusion and, to a greater extent, the removal of
ATMs. There is also some evidence that `responsible gambling? measures have, collectively, reduced
the harms associated with gambling. However, there is limited evidence available to confirm the
effectiveness of most individual `responsible gambling? measures actually implemented in venues.
Further, policy measures implemented outside the control of venues (such as ATM removal, reduction
in bet limits, and the prohibition of smoking) appear to be associated with more significant effects,
based on analysis of EGM revenue data in Victoria. The evidence for prospective measures is
necessarily limited since the ultimate test is post-implementation efficacy, but there is growing
evidence to suggest that pre-commitment, one-dollar maximum bets or other machine design changes
may yield significantly more effective harm minimisation effects than in-venue practices such as
signage or, indeed, self-exclusion. In considering evidence about the effects of existing or prospective
measures it is important to emphasise that packages of measures might be more effective than single
ones, and that an inability to confirm a statistically significant effect does not mean that no effect
exists.
UR - https://journal.anzsog.edu.au/publications/11/EvidenceBase2014Issue2Version1.pdf
M3 - Letter
SN - 1838-9422
VL - 2
SP - 1
EP - 24
JO - Evidence Base
JF - Evidence Base
ER -