Guest blogger: The Vicar General Chris Jones, CEO Anglicare

Anglicare continues to be confronted with the problem of gambling in Tasmania and recently appeared before a government inquiry.

CHARITY group Anglicare yesterday supported a mandatory pre-commitment scheme for gaming machine users combined with a bet limit of $1 on each spin.
But the gambling industry says it will take 10 years to implement. Anglicare researcher Margie Law told the Federal Parliament Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform Inquiry into Pre-Commitment Schemes, which met in Hobart yesterday, that the two measures would achieve good results in reducing harm for those with gambling problems. She said if a pre-commitment scheme was introduced along with other measures, it should greatly reduce harm to people with gambling problems while not inconveniencing others. Ms Law said Tasmanian Government figures revealed that 3000 people in the state had gambling problems but this did not include those who struggled with gambling but were not quite in dire straits because of it. And the figure did not include family, friends and work colleagues affected by problem gamblers. Anglicare’s research of Supreme Court cases in Tasmania found 41 people appeared over six years for crimes involving gambling as a reason. More than half were first-time offenders.

See the rest of the Mercury article here: Support for pre-pay gambling