SA offers UK responsible gambling tips
The South African gambling industry is giving important lessons to the UK on
how to improve responsible gambling. John Greenway, chairperson of the
scrutiny committee in the UK Parliament, is in South Africa to see how
"industry and government worked together to ensure the harm caused by
excessive gambling is kept to a minimum". His committee is considering the
draft Gambling Bill. Greenway said he was impressed with South Africa's
National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP), which was started in June
2000 and is acknowledged to be among the most comprehensive in the world. It
provides education, treatment and counselling to curb problem gambling. In
the UK, Gamcare, a charity, provides counselling to problem gamblers. The
NRGP is a public-private partnership which ensured the industry shared the
responsibility for the negative aspects of gambling, Greenway said. Gambling
in the UK is more widespread than in South Africa, he said. "There's horse
racing, grey- hound racing, gambling in cricket and football, 150 small
casinos, 700 bingo clubs, the national lottery and the West End of London
where the rich and famous gamble," Greenway said. This had spawned an
addiction problem affecting about 300 000 gamblers. Greenway said Gamcare
spent £5,5-million (about R71-million) in the last three years providing
counselling for gamblers. He said the UK gambling industry was still
sceptical about responsible gambling programmes, but he intended to report
back on South Africa's successful model when he returned.
how to improve responsible gambling. John Greenway, chairperson of the
scrutiny committee in the UK Parliament, is in South Africa to see how
"industry and government worked together to ensure the harm caused by
excessive gambling is kept to a minimum". His committee is considering the
draft Gambling Bill. Greenway said he was impressed with South Africa's
National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP), which was started in June
2000 and is acknowledged to be among the most comprehensive in the world. It
provides education, treatment and counselling to curb problem gambling. In
the UK, Gamcare, a charity, provides counselling to problem gamblers. The
NRGP is a public-private partnership which ensured the industry shared the
responsibility for the negative aspects of gambling, Greenway said. Gambling
in the UK is more widespread than in South Africa, he said. "There's horse
racing, grey- hound racing, gambling in cricket and football, 150 small
casinos, 700 bingo clubs, the national lottery and the West End of London
where the rich and famous gamble," Greenway said. This had spawned an
addiction problem affecting about 300 000 gamblers. Greenway said Gamcare
spent £5,5-million (about R71-million) in the last three years providing
counselling for gamblers. He said the UK gambling industry was still
sceptical about responsible gambling programmes, but he intended to report
back on South Africa's successful model when he returned.
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