Problem punters' multiple club ban

PROBLEM gamblers will no longer have to enter the danger zone of a licensed club before excluding themselves from a venue.

Clubs plan a statewide system for people to ban themselves from several clubs online through a counsellor.

The system, to be announced today, will be the first of its type in Australia. It was successfully tested in the Central Coast and Broken Hill.

Self-exclusion was introduced by NSW clubs and pubs in 2000; an estimated 3000 people a year have banned themselves since.

But it has always seemed counterproductive that people have to enter a club - seeing the bright lights of pokies - before excluding themselves.

Clubs NSW chief executive Anthony Ball said: "Previous studies have indicated that 90 per cent of problem gamblers would prefer to self-ban from multiple venues in one go.

"This technology allows that to occur, as well providing them with the choice of deciding if they want the counsellor to notify nominated family of their gambling addiction," he said.

"During a six-month trial, 136 problem gamblers chose to ban themselves from a combined 569 clubs in Broken Hill and the Central Coast.

"Under the previous system, it could have taken weeks or even months for a problem gambler to visit each of those clubs and inform the staff they wanted to be banned from gambling," Mr Ball said.

Source: Andrew Clennell, The Daily Telegraph, Feb 8, 2012