CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN
CONFERENCE ON GAMBLING
WARSAW, POLAND
23 SEPTEMBER 2000

THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING PROGRAMME: A PRODUCT OF INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION

THE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR THE STUDY OF GAMBLING: AN INTRODUCTION
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Founded in 1995 as a Trust ("Not For Gain") and based at the University of Cape Town Faculty of Commerce

27 academics at eight South African and international tertiary and research institutions;

International consultants and advisers include Professor Bill Eadington, Professor Silas Lee and Professor Joe Kelly (United States), Professor Jan McMillen and Mr David Ford (Australia), Mr Atam Uppal (Canada), and Messrs Pieter Remmers and Rik Bes (The Netherlands)

Co-ordinated by executive director Professor Peter Collins and managed by Mr Kerry Capstick-Dale

PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN BY THE NATIONAL CENTRE
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Researching for the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention the incidence of money laundering in the gaming industry in Africa and the Middle East;

Researching and formulating Internet gaming policy for the South African government;

Researching and formulating, for the South African government, a policy framework for the introduction of National Slot Route gaming in South Africa (the policy and regulation sections of this work have now been completed and accepted by the National Gaming Board);

Advising provincial gaming boards on fair processes for awarding gaming licences so as to secure the public interest.

PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN BY THE NATIONAL CENTRE
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Conducting baseline research in the nine provinces of South Africa to ascertain gambling behaviours and the incidence of problem gambling prior to the introduction on an extensive scale of new forms of legal gambling;

Researching strategies and managing South Africa’s first programme for the prevention and treatment of problem gambling including integrating treatment with services provided in respect of other addictions;

Measuring the economic impact of new casinos in relation to the hopes of policy makers and the promises of casino developers at the time of awarding licences.

GAMING IN SOUTH AFRICA: AN INTRODUCTION
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Until 1994, largely a resort-based casino industry (8 000 machines)

But a significant illegal slot machine industry in urban areas (100 000 machines), scratch cards, horse racing

Post 1994:

National Gambling Act 1996

40 casino licences

National Lottery

Sports Betting

LPMs / Slot Routes

Bingo

Progressive closure of illegal outlets

ADDRESSING PROBLEM GAMBLING
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For the vast majority of South Africans, gambling is

harmless recreational entertainment.

However, in some cases, problem gambling can

negatively impact the lives of individuals, resulting in

personal, financial and legal consequences.

We believe that we have a moral responsibility to help

such people, and their families, in dealing with these

issues.

THE SOUTH AFRICAN EXPERIENCE
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Historically limited problem in South Africa casinos:

Resort Casinos

Distances discouraged impulse gambling

May increase in the future

Urban casinos

New forms of gambling

INTEGRATED PROGRAMME
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Education and Training

Counselling and Treatment

Research

Our focus is on prevention.

EMPLOYEE TRAINING
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Led by international professionals

All employees

Commitment to Policy

Management (Level 3)

Intervene and refer to Help Line

Gaming staff (Level 2)

Observe and report to management

All employees (Level 1)

Knowledge of the programme

TRAINING MATERIAL
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Unique to South Africa, but heavily influenced by:

Jellinek Consultancy, Holland

AGA, Nevada

Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial

Gaming, Nevada

Australian Institute for Gambling Research, Sydney

CUSTOMER EDUCATION
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Collateral material

Brochures

Posters

Notices at cash desks and ATMs

Help Line on all gaming related advertisements

PUBLIC EDUCATION
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International Precedent

National Responsible Gambling Programme

Help Line

Counselling

Treatment

Awareness

Paid Editorials

Professional Journals

Brochures and Leaflets

NATIONAL HELP LINE
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24 hours per day, 7 days per week

Toll free

Hosted at the Kenilworth Place Addiction Treatment Centre, Cape Town

Answered by specially trained counsellors

Referral for initial comprehensive assessment by a specialist clinical psychologist

Costs are borne by private sector

OUT PATIENT COUNSELLING
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Clinical Psychologists in 13 major centres

Cape Town

Johannesburg

Durban

Bloemfontein

Port Elizabeth

Windhoek (Namibia)

Gaborone (Botswana)

Pietermaritzburg

Caledon

Nelspruit

East London

Pietersburg

Kimberley

OUT PATIENT COUNSELLING
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Psychologists are trained by Jellinek and the Kenilworth Place Addiction Treatment Centre

Customised six session treatment programme paid by private sector

IN PATIENT COUNSELLING
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Severe cases only

3 Centres

Cape Town, Kenilworth Place

Johannesburg, Houghton Place

Durban, Hillcrest Manor

Training by international experts (Jellinek) and by the Kenilworth Place Addiction Treatment Centre

Costs

Covered by most health schemes

Subsidised by private sector as is necessary

SELF EXCLUSION
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Industry has a self exclusion programme in place at all of its casinos

Exclusion from casinos

Withdrawal of slot club cards and benefits

Removal from mailing lists

Cancellation of credit facilities

CREDIT AND ATMs AT RGP-AFFILIATED CASINOS
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Access to credit facilities is not readily available

Credit card transactions to be limited to R2,000 per card every 14 days

Responsible Gambling Programme collateral will be posted at all ATMs and Smart Cashier machines

UNDER AGE GAMBLING
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No access to gaming areas for persons under 18

Multiple non-gaming entertainment options

Unattended minors

"Parents simply cannot rely on the government

or the industry to prevent underage gambling"

ADOLESCENT GAMBLING
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Access to convenience gambling

Site operations

National Lottery

Sports betting

Numbers

Video arcades

Incidence of problem gambling later in their lives

NATIONAL RESEARCH
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National Centre for the Study of Gambling at UCT

Prevalence of problem gambling in South Africa

By province and casino

All forms of gambling

Age, gender

Concurrent psychological problems & addictions

Regular updates

Sponsored by private sector

Available to all interested parties

INTERNATIONAL BENCHMARKS
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Definition of terms

At risk

Problem gambling

Pathological gambling

Measures

South Oaks Gambling Screen

Harvard Medical School levels

DSM-IV

FORMS OF GAMBLING
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Legal casinos

Well controlled access

Rigorously monitored and regulated

Slot Routes

Very convenient and prolific

National Lottery

Easily accessible

Convenience stores

Internet Gaming

Incidences are rare thus far

FORMS OF GAMBLING
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Bingo

Small industry

Horse Racing

Entertainment

Totes are convenient

Scratch cards

Historically very prevalent

Illegal casinos

Not regulated

FORMS OF GAMBLING
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Numbers

Historically very prevalent

Sports Betting

May be prevalent in universities, technikons, schools

OTHER JURISDICTIONS
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Treatment dealt with by the public sector

Public Education

Research

Private sector focused on prevention measures

Employee training

Help Lines

Research

Public Education

CONCLUSION
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First-ever National Responsible Gambling

Programme in South Africa

The only programme, internationally, which

integrates prevention, treatment and

research in a single programme