More funding to target problem gambling, Waldron
Author: Terry Waldron
Published on: 17-October-2011
Community Services Minister Robyn McSweeney and Racing and Gaming Minister Terry Waldron today announced a new $3.5million Beyond Gambling Grants program to target problem social gambling in regional and remote Western Australia.
Social gambling may include card playing for money or online gambling.
Mr Waldron said WA had a strong history of targeting problem gambling issues that extended from a ban on pokies in the community through to programs supporting those involved in problem social gambling and their families.
"It is fair to say we have had some excellent mainstream support programs and we now look forward to extending those programs out to regional and remote areas," he said.
Mrs McSweeney said she also supported the additional State Government investment in regional areas where services to help were sometimes few and far between.
“We have a hotline and a counselling service in WA that targets problem gambling primarily in the metropolitan area but we don’t have the same level of coverage in regional communities," she said.
Grants will be available to local government and non-profit community organisations that promote social participation and provide alternative activities to social gambling through programs designed to:
- raise awareness of the effects of problem social gambling on individuals, families and communities
- strengthen the capacity of individuals, families and communities to reduce the level of gambling in the community
- strengthen the capacity of the non-government sector to work with individuals, families and communities affected by problem social gambling
- address the impact of problem social gambling on individuals, families and communities.
