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NZ Gaming column Time for a little respect Venue operators are at the heart of community fund-raising through gaming machines and at the heart of attempts to minimise harm caused through the minority for whom gambling is dangerous. It is high time that the role played by venue operators is given the respect it deserves. Without venue operators being in a positive supportive role the trusts will not have the funds to continue to distribute to the community or to maintain their own viability. Similarly, without the willing and committed input of those same venue operators, harm minimisation will not be optimised. It is very easy to say “thou shalt do this or you will be hit with a big stick”. That heavy-handed regulatory approach does not result in as much of a positive buy-in and positive outcomes as an environment where there is mutual respect and understanding of each other’s position and a commitment to work on practical solutions which both optimise the business of fund-raising and minimise harm to customers. We are about to see a social marketing campaign launched by the Ministry of Health which has a real danger of missing the mark through its failure to engage with and respect the role that venue operators can and should play in facilitating gaming harm minimisation and being an effective conduit for good information to both their patrons and the wider community. Similarly, venue operators should be respected for the work they do and be remunerated accordingly. A little respect shown to the venue operators in both remuneration and involvement might just help the policy makers to more effectively achieve some of their policy objectives. Bruce H Robertson
19 February 2007 |
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