The Government of the Northern Territory (NT) has quietly released four reports regarding the social cost of gambling and the negative consequences of gambling-related harm.
According to the Menzies School of Health Research, which compiled “The Social Costs of Gambling harms in the NT” report, the social costs of gambling in the Northern Territory were estimated at more than AU$190 million on an annual basis. These costs include not only the impact that gambling has on people at risk but also the harm caused to other residents of the state.
The research authors called the actual cost of gambling-related harm “relatively conservative”, based on 2018 data, because there were components that could not be actually measured, such as the impact that gambling has had on underage individuals in the territory. Apart from that, the research also found that the cost resulting from gambling was estimated at around one-eighth of the alcohol-related harm in the Northern Territory.
Another report that has recently been released by the Australian territory’s Government stated there was an urgent need for some reforms in the gambling regulations across the local gambling industry, especially when it comes to players’ limits on time, spending, and the number of gambling activities both off- and online. The report also notes that enforcement of gambling regulations, legislation, and code of conduct has to be improved, with some recommendations for special attention to customer protection made, too.
NT Minister for Racing, Gaming and Licensing Promises Some Reforms to Be Carried Out in the Sector
Reportedly, another one of the four reports released by the Government of the Northern Territory revealed that over 40% of a sample of First Nations people who live in regional areas and already gamble were considered either exposed to moderate risk of gambling-related harm or categorised as problem gamblers.
As a result of their findings, researchers made some recommendations to the NT Government that would help the authorities reduce gambling-related harm. Some of the recommendations included full removal or bringing limits to the number of poker machines available in local clubs and pubs; return to coins only at venues and reducing the ability to load up so-called pokies to AU$100 at a time; establishment of gambling support services in remote areas across the Territory and special services for Aboriginal people; as well as the employment of gambling support workers at local venues.
All reports’ funding was provided by the Community Benefit Fund of the NT Government. Although they were fully done in August 2021, they were not officially released until September 2022, after ABC News submitted a special request for access to Chansey Paech, the Minister for Racing, Gaming and Licensing.
The revelations of the aforementioned reports come shortly after earlier in September the Northern Territory Government decided to suspend applications for poker machine operating permits at the hotels and pubs in Alice Springs for nine months as a result of strong criticism across local communities.
Minister Paech also shared that he was considering the implementation of a series of reforms regarding gambling policies as a result of a review of the licence application process. Furthermore, he said that he had taken into account the community’s concerns and would not hesitate to take more action in order to make sure gambling-related harm is tackled.
Despite the measures aimed at minimising the negative effects of gambling, gambling taxes are still a significant revenue stream for the Government of the Northern Territory. The authorities reported an AU$14.6-million increase in casino and gambling taxes for the 2020/2021 period.
- Author
Daniel Williams
