Gambling jobs - not a game

Excessive gambling is becoming a significant social problem in Australia, with large numbers of children going without food or being left in cars while their parents gamble, homelessness on the rise and significant percentages of people losing jobs and homes in connection with gambling and requiring welfare payments to survive. While the Responsible Service of Alcohol legislation has been around for some time now, Responsible Service of Gambling (RSG in QLD or RCG across the rest of Australia) is not quite as well understood. Exclusion laws are a key part of responsible service of gambling across the country - today we examine them, and see what you'll learn in your online Responsible Service of Gambling course.

Two Types of Exclusions

If you’re completing your QLD RSG, you'll learn about the two different types of exclusions from gambling venues:

• Patron-initiated exclusion, or self-exclusion

• Venue-initiated exclusion, which is directed by a gambling provider

It may seem strange that patron-initiated exclusion would exist; however, in moments of lucidity many problem gamblers want help to stop gambling, and self-exclusion from gambling facilities may be the start they need.

No matter what the type of exclusion, each requires that contact details of counselling services be given to gamblers that are excluded from a venue. All exclusions are periodically reported to the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, and a register must be kept of both types of exclusions.

Documenting an Exclusion

Exclusions must be documented according to government mandated procedures, as you'll learn in your QLD RSG. There are forms and documents that must be filled out, and all staff members at the gaming facility must keep up to date with the exclusion list in order to make it total.

Venue-Initiated Exclusions

This type of exclusion may be initiated by the venue, and in Queensland venues have the authority (although not the duty) to exclude patrons who exhibit problem gambling behaviours.

Venue initiated exclusions remain in place for a minimum of five years, unless a written application is made to the venue to revoke the order, and the venue agrees. However, these can only be made once per 12 months.

Self-Exclusions

These are initiated at the patron's request, and invoke the same duty of enforcement as venue-initiated exclusions. They remain in place for five years also, but there is a 24-hour cooling off period in which a person can ask for their self-exclusion to be revoked.

Although exclusion laws are the cornerstone of Responsible Service of Gambling or RCGs, they are certainly not the only initiative in place to help problem gamblers minimise the harm they do to themselves and others. Advertising and promotion of gaming facilities and events I being regulated in many states, there are maximum periods of time for which electronic gaming machines can be operating per day, and there are also several state-specific reviews of gambling impacts and potential other initiatives going on currently.