Strike against problem gambling

The Government has pledged the biggest-ever budget for an advertising and communications blitz to tackle problem gambling in Victoria.

Announcing the $6.1 million commitment over the next year, Community Services Minister Christine Campbell said a new wave of hard-edged television, radio and print ads would spearhead the campaign to help Victoria’s 100,000 problem gamblers.

‘The new funding comes on top of the current $1.8 million Summer Offensive—the first wave of the hard-hitting Think of what you’re really gambling with advertising campaign, which began last November.’

‘That campaign had demonstrated its impact, Ms Campbell said.

In its first month:

• Gambler’s Help counselling calls almost doubled (up 91 per cent);

• New face-to-face counselling appointments more than doubled (up 118 per cent).

‘Monthly calls to Gambler’s Help counselling lines are continuing to run at almost 70 per cent higher than records going back to July 1998,’ Ms Campbell said.

The hard-edged second wave of the campaign would continue in the same vein, she said.

‘We will now broaden our scope beyond the first wave campaign, which targetted middle-aged married men and women, and now focus on older and younger people.’

Ms Campbell said the community-based campaign to spread the help message to problem gamblers would include the Department of Human Services forging new links with grass-roots groups, multicultural leaders and religious leaders.

‘We will support community groups with press and radio advertisements in Arabic, Italian, Greek, Vietnamese, Turkish, Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin and also with blanket distribution of brochures, education kits and self-help information in eight languages,’ Ms Campbell said.

• The 24-hour help and counselling Gambler’s Help line is contactable on 1800 156 789.