Voluntary self-exclusion programme helping J’cans tackle gambling addiction

Richard Henry, programme manager at RISE Life Management Services, has stressed that while Jamaica is not experiencing a crisis in gambling addiction, the compulsive nature of the habit can have serious consequences – not just for the individual, but also for their family.

Although fewer people struggle with gambling addiction compared to other substances, Henry points out that for every person affected, between eight and ten family members are also impacted.

“Some are affected and have the capacity to manage themselves, but there are others, like children, who are impacted and have less capacity to be able to deal with that situation,” Henry told The Sunday Gleaner in a recent interview.

“Once it begins to affect the family in that way, it is also going to be a serious issue, so we consider addiction as a family disease, and gambling fits now under addiction, according to the new DSM (Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders),” he said.

Henry noted that those with gambling addictions are often reluctant to admit to their problem “because there is such a heavy stigma that is attached to having a gambling addiction”. In contrast, individuals with substance-related addictions are generally more willing to acknowledge their struggles.

Henry said many clients of RISE Life Management hold jobs, and those working in fields involving money often fear that their addiction will be discovered by their employers.

“For your boss to even hear that you had a gambling addiction, you probably dealt with it, but the stigma that it is going to create around you at work, most persons prefer not to come forward, and that is why it is so difficult when you are looking for persons to give testimonials,” Henry pointed out.

One of the key initiatives RISE Life Management introduced years ago is the voluntary self-exclusion programme. Similar to those in jurisdictions with well-established gambling industries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and some European countries, it allows individuals struggling with gambling to request a ban from participating in betting activities at certain establishments.

“They can get a ban for three months, six months, nine months and up to a lifetime. So how it works is that we don’t want to eliminate the gaming lounge from being a part of the process, so the forms that you sign to request the ban are available at the gaming lounge,” Henry explained.

He added that the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission, which regulates gaming in Jamaica, mandates annual training on responsible gambling for all gaming lounges and establishments with 19 or more gaming machines.

PROCESS TO SEEKING ASELF-EXCLUSION BAN

Those seeking a self-exclusion ban can approach a responsible gambling ambassador or supervisor at any gaming lounge and request a form. Once completed, the form is returned to the lounge, which then forwards it to RISE Life Management. The organisation contacts the individual to confirm their commitment to the ban.

“A lot of times it is in the throes of losing money that they are upset and want to get a ban,” Henry noted, indicating that 50 per cent of the time, those who request a ban are no longer interested when contacted to finalise their participation in the voluntary exclusion programme.

Currently, about 60 people are enrolled in the voluntary exclusion programme, Henry told The Sunday Gleaner.

“More than half of those would have been in the programme for years. They are on lifetime bans,” he pointed out.

Henry explains that once a person submits a ban request form, RISE Life Management adds their details to a database. The ambassadors, who have access to the system, are notified when someone requests a ban. Their information and photo are also logged.

For a person to participate in gaming at the established lounges, they have to register with some legal ID and the person is issued a card as the machines do not take cash. If a person with a ban tries to use a gaming machine, the system will flag them as disallowed from participating.

Describing the voluntary exclusion approach as an adjunct to treatment, Henry said many participants later return to express gratitude for the ban, explaining that it helped them make significant changes in their lives, such as completing construction on their homes or starting new businesses.

RISE Life Management also works with individuals facing gambling problems related to horse racing. However, Henry noted that the majority of their clients gamble at local bars with gaming machines. The challenge is that bars with fewer than 19 machines are registered differently and do not fall under the same regulations as gaming lounges. This makes it harder to introduce the voluntary self-exclusion programme to addicted gamblers in those establishments.

Despite this, the self-exclusion programme has proven effective in the established gaming lounges across Jamaica. Henry believes it has been successful because it provides a way for individuals to take control of their addiction in a non-judgemental environment.

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com