Salvation Army Problem Gambling
The Salvation Army's gambling addiction support service is worried about the increased number of online gambling sites.
Salvation Army Problem Gambling Games
The head of the organisation's gambling services division, Oasis, said it had been noticeable since the nationwide lockdown came into force.
- In some ways this is a segue from my last post since the new providers of the contract with the government funding will be the Salvation Army. The article raises the concern, from the Labour party, that the funding is being transferred due to the Problem Gambling Foundation’s opposition to the Government’s SkyCity convention centre ‘deal’.
- The Salvation Army is backing Labour's demand that greater restrictive powers be granted to local authorities to deal with the problem of gambling addiction. Labour has promised to change laws that limit the power of councils to reduce the number of bookmakers on their high streets if they win the next election, with Miliband saying FOBTs are.
- Salvation Army social services national director Campbell Roberts said it had felt compromised by accepting funds generated from gambling and then using it to help the victims of gambling.
- In a statement, The Salvation Army said, however, 'Given that this study was conducted in advance of the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005, it does little to alleviate The Salvation Army's concerns that problem gambling could rise over time with increasing gambling opportunities and stimulated demand.
'The bigger concern is the overseas gambling websites where there's no regulation, which are potentially the biggest problem for us.' The Salvation Army was also encouraging anyone needing support.
Lisa Campbell said the rise in the number of unregulated overseas online gambling websites had coincided with the closure of pokie venues and casinos, and online availability of New Zealand Lotto and TAB services.
Online gambling companies were now advertising on social media, possibly because they saw people in isolation as a captive audience, Campbell said.
The ads for overseas gambling websites were cropping up frequently when she was on Facebook in a private capacity, she said.
She was concerned that the tailored nature of how social media advertising worked, meant that others, including at-risk gamblers, were getting the same ads.
'I'm concerned they're using this opportunity to bring people into online gambling now, which is pretty awful to see that happening.
'I am sure they see social isolation as a great opportunity to expand business without any thought for the additional harm this could cause, further exacerbating the financial and mental harm on people already.'
Oasis was now compiling information on online blocking tools that people can use to block internet gambling sites, Campbell said.
'We have heard from some clients who say they are really concerned about how they will cope, both financially and practically, at home with family or alone during the lockdown period, and are feeling very anxious, and some have asked for more support than normal.'
Campbell said similar advertising was apparent before the lockdown but she was now seeing it more frequently.
Lotto and TAB were the only legal online providers of gambling, she said.
'They have said they're stopping advertising around the scratchies and other products during this time, so they're only advertising Lotto.
'The bigger concern is the overseas gambling websites where there's no regulation, which are potentially the biggest problem for us.'
The Salvation Army was also encouraging anyone needing support through drug and alcohol addiction, to reach out if they needed help.
Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Lynette Hutson said they were concerned that people suffering from addictions may be feeling very alone at this time.
'The Salvation Army continues to support people online and over the phone. We want to make sure people have access to the help they need,' she said.
There was also a danger that people could slide into heavy drinking when at home alone.
'We're here on the end of the phone for anyone who is feeling as if they may be getting into trouble with this, or other drug use,' Hutson said.
Where to get help:
- Bridge Residential services can be contacted by phone or email for referrals. For more information [www.salvationarmy.org.nz/Bridge visit their website], or phone 0800 53 00 00.
- Supportive Accommodation/Transitional Housing services continue to operate across the country for those already in residence. Limited referrals may be considered, depending on availability of services. For more information, visit their website.
- For direct access to Oasis services, [www.salvationarmy.org.nz/oasis see their website], or follow them on Facebook at OasisReducingGamblingHarm
Copyright © 2020, Radio New Zealand
New Zealanders lose $2.4 billion dollars every year to pokie machines, casinos, TABs and Lotto products. This does not include overseas online gambling.
Once you know the odds of winning, you will be able to accurately put your chances of winning into perspective. In most conventional games there is a winner and a loser. Also, when you play a game of chance among friends the odds of winning are more even.
But when you gamble through a business such as in a casino or on pokie machines, the odds are almost never in your favour to win.
The game is almost always rigged so that the house wins. The primary goal of gambling operators is to make as much money as possible from people.
The odds of a 5 line jackpot win on a pokie machine: 1 in 9.7 million
A good tip to remember: You have a much higher chance of being struck by lightning than winning the jackpot on the pokies.
Is it possible to improve the odds?
It might seem as though playing on the same machine will boost the likelihood of that machine giving you some money. But this isn’t the case.
These factors do not improve odds of winning:
- Time of day.
- How often you have won or lost in recent times.
- How many other people have played on a particular machine.
- How long you play on one machine.
- Other people losing on a particular machine.
No external factors influence the likelihood of having a win on the pokies. It is controlled by an algorithm within the machine that almost always lets the house win.
Salvation Army Problem Gambling Rules
Roulette and other games of chance
Each spin is a completely separate event. No matter what occurred on previous rolls or spins the outcome of the next roll or spin is totally independent of this.
There is no way to improve the odds of winning on roulette or any other game of chance.
'Skill-based' games
Sports betting or card playing may be affected by skill level in the short term.
However, many random events can influence these games. This includes changes to the game’s parameters and margins, as well as a gambler’s emotional state at the time of playing.
For horse-racing – there are other factors that influence the chances of winning, including the horse’s form, other horses’ form, the jockey having a big night the night before the race, weather, track conditions, and so on. It is not possible to control the odds of winning or predict with any accuracy the likelihood of a win in such a complex game.
Wishful thinking and gambling
It’s important to remember that superstition, wishful thinking and gambling are a bad combination.
Salvation Army Problem Gambling Addiction
Many people have warped and false thinking around gambling. In the moment of playing games, they overestimate their odds of winning and forget that they are far more likely to lose.
Do an experiment
If you have doubts about the way odds work, try this experiment to test the theory.
- Before each bet, make a note about what you think will happen.
- Write down what actually happened.
- Do this at least 10 times to test if your predictions were accurate.
- Look back on these results from your notes. This will give you a realistic perspective on your chances of winning versus losing while gambling.
The chances of developing a problem
The more often a person gambles, the greater the risk of them becoming an unsafe gambler.
The chances of developing a problem with regular gambling are vastly higher than your chances of having a big win.
Face-to-face support and advice from Oasis is proven to be effective in minimising the harm of gambling for individuals concerned about their gambling, along with other people in their lives.
Oasis can help:
- If gambling is affecting your relationships, work or study.
- If you’re in debt as a result of gambling.
- If your gambling is making you feel depressed, anxious or worried.
- If you want to know more about the harm that gambling causes.
- If you’re spending a lot of time gambling.
- If you’d like help with quitting or reducing your gambling.
- If you are worried about someone you know who is gambling.
A gambling problem can be difficult to admit. Some people who have a problem with gambling often lie about their gambling or betting habits, or they will attempt to conceal their gambling from others.