Prevalence Studies in Macao Responsible Gambling: An Approach for Chinese Community with Legalized Casinos Dr. Davis FONG Director, Institute for the Study of Commercial Gaming University of 22 nd to 23 rd October 2009 Study Period 2003 2007 Target Respondents Age: 15-64 Age: 15-64 Sample Size 1,121121 1,963 Types of Games Participation Rate (%) 1. Mark Six (HK) 38.7% 31.8% 2. Social Gambling 43.8% 29.8% 3. Macao Casino 20.2% 23.6% 4. Soccer Betting 20.9% 7.8% 5. Horse Racing (MJC) 5.7% 2.8% 6. Mahjong House 3.3% 2.0% 7. Horse Racing (HKJC) 1.5% 1.8% 8. Casino Ship 1.0% 0.6% 9. Online Casino 0.8% 0.1% Pathological Gambling Prevalence Rate 1.78% 2.60% Problem Gambling Prevalence Rate 2.50% 3.41% Prevalence Rates Comparison in Chinese Community Categorization of Problem Gambling Risk In Low Risk (40%) Medium Risk (45%) High Risk (9%) Problem Gambling (6%) Non without any PG with 1 to 2 PG with 3 or more PG 1
What is Responsible Gambling? Responsible Gambling occurs in a properly regulated environment where one s involvement in gambling activities brings no harm to the gamblers, family members, friends, other gamblers, or casino staff; nor would it lead to negative consequences for the local community and residents. In other words, Responsible Gambling is a practice that confines the gambling-related damage to a socially acceptable level. What is Responsible Gambling? Responsible Gambling has been implemented in various gambling-developed regions such as Australia, Canada, and the US. In, Responsible Gambling is still in early stage; and there have been few lessons to be learnt from the experiences of other Chinese communities. Therefore, based upon the reality in, Institute t for the Study of Commercial Gaming at University of attempts to introduce a preliminary framework of the function and roles of the five different stakeholders Responsible Gambling Model (?), Family Members and Friends Problem Gambling Prevention and Treatment Centers Government Gaming Operators Education and Other Community Organizations 負責任博彩 原則 Guiding Principles 傷害最少 Harm Minimization 知情決定 Informed Decision 平衡發展 Balanced Development Model 共同承擔 Shared Responsibility 最佳實踐 Best Practice 2
1. Government: Direct and Implement Responsible Gambling Policies 1. Introduce Responsible Gambling policies and related standards and guidelines; 2. Drive gaming operators, community organizations and gamblers to put into action the policies and procedures of Responsible Gambling; 3. Supervise the implementation and execution of Responsible Gambling policies; 4. Balance the rights and interests of all sides, ensure the stable development of gambling industry in, and minimize the negative impacts of gambling industry on local community and neighborhood regions. 2., Family Members and Friends: Responsible Gambling Behavior 1. Treat gambling as an entertaining activity and refuse to use it as a tool of investment or earning; 2. Before gambling, understand the potential risk associated with gambling activities; 3. Before gambling, establish an affordable limit of spending and time of gambling; 4. When gambling, do not carry credit card or ATM card, do not borrow money, do not drink to excess; 5. After gambling, record activity details such as outcomes and dates of gambling; 6. Seek support actively when realize the gambling behavior becomes uncontrollable. 2., Family Members and Friends: Responsible Gambling Behavior Family Members and Friends 1. Do not accompany or assist underage people to participate in gambling activities, such as purchasing lotteries; 2. Dissuade underage or excluded gamblers from participating in gambling activities; 3. Show consideration for gamblers and prevent them from becoming addictive in gambling; 4. Encourage and support problem gamblers to receive formal counseling and treatment, avoid providing monetary assistance directly. 3. Gaming Operators: Responsible Gaming Operation Short-term goals 1. Set up staff training program on Problem Gambling and Responsible Gambling; 2. Provide accurate gambling information at patron s request; 3. Do not present false, misleading or deceptive promotional material; 4. Removal from gambling promotion list at patron s s request; 5. Do not intentionally promote gambling activities to underage; 6. Reject underage from entering the gambling venue. 3
3. Gaming Operators: Responsible Gaming Operation Long-term goals 1. Provide odds of winning of games so as to allow patrons to make informed decisions about their gambling; 2. Attach posters or banners at obvious locations in the venue reminding the patrons the risky nature of gambling activity and responsible gambling; 3. Offer self-exclusion procedures for patrons to ban oneself or family members from entering the gambling venue; 4. Do not promote gambling activities to excluded patrons; 5. Reject excluded and intoxicated patrons from entering the gambling venue. 4. Problem Gambling Prevention and Treatment Centers: Prevent and Remedy Problem Gambling Behavior 1. Provide gambling counseling and treatment service to those needed, helping problem gamblers extricate from the predicament and have a new start; 2. Provide counseling service to family members of problem gamblers, assisting them to face the adversity; 3. Publicize and promote Responsible Gambling. 5. Education and Other Community Organizations: Educate and Promote Proper Sense of Values School and community service groups: 1. Educate teenagers with proper sense of values; 2. Assist in promoting Responsible Gambling; 3. Hold various recreational activities to avoid residents from excessive gambling; g; 4. Contact problem gambling prevention and treatment centers when identify problem gamblers, and encourage problem gamblers to receive proper counseling. 5. Education and Other Community Organizations: Educate and Promote Proper Sense of Values Research and academic institutes: 1. Study and evaluate the content, implementation and effectiveness of Responsible Gambling policies on a regular basis; 2. Provide strategic and operational suggestions based on study results. 4
Chief Organizers: Social Welfare Bureau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau University of Co-Organizers: Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau Members of the Chamber of Casino Gaming Concessionaries and Subconcessionaries, including: Sociedade de Jogos de, S. A. Wynn Resorts (), S. A. Galaxy Casino, S.A. Venetian Limited Melco Crown Entertainment MGM Grand Paradise, S. A. Exhibition Participating Organizations: 1. Macao New Chinese Youth Association 2. Bosco Youth Service Network 3. Young Men s Christian Association of 4. Yat On Center 5. Industrial Evangelistic Fellowship 6. Gabinete Coordenador dos Serviços Sociais Sheng Kung Hui 7. Associaçăo Juventude Voluntária de 8. Movimento Católico de Apoio á Familia 9. Macao Federation of Trade Unions The 1st Responsible Gambling Awareness Week 15th Oct to 31st Dec 2009 1. Responsible Gambling Awareness Survey 2. Responsible Gambling Seminars 3. Kick-off Ceremony 4. Responsible Gambling Symposium 5. Exhibition 6. Quiz Game and Lucky Draw 7. Other promotional activities Articles series about Responsible Gambling on newspapers TV Chit-chat show (Finance Magazine) Promotion materials on bus-stop shelters Thank you and welcome to to join Thank you and welcome to to join The First Responsible Gambling Awareness Week. 5