Question – Social and Economic Impact Study
Questions asked by Meg Webb MLC on 17 Sept 2019 and aswered for the Government by Hon Roger Jaensch Minister for Human Services on 29 Oct 2019
With regard to the latest Social and Economic Impact Study – SEIS – report released in January 2018 –
QUESTION (1) Has the Minister for Human Services now read the latest SEIS report?
ANSWER (1) Yes.
QUESTION (2) (a) Does the minister acknowledge that the report notes a 20 per cent increase in the proportion of problem gamblers from 2013 to 2017?
(b) If so, what specifically has the minister directed be considered and/or included in the Gambling Support Program Strategic Framework 2020-23, beyond previous efforts or initiatives, to achieve an improved result in the number of Tasmanians experiencing problem gambling, moderate-risk gambling and low-risk gambling?
ANSWER (2) (a) The report states the estimated proportion of problem gamblers increased from 0.5 per cent in 2013 to 0.6 per cent in 2017 (Volume 2, Chapter 7, Section 7.3). Section 7.1 Key Findings, states that ‘The proportion of problem gamblers, moderate risk and low risk gamblers were comparable to estimates from the 2011 and 2013 surveys’.
(b) The Gambling Support Program Strategic Framework 2019-23 is currently being developed through consultation with key stakeholders. It is a broad overview of the strategic direction of the Gambling Support Program as the public health response to gambling.
QUESTION (3) (a) Across that same period which saw an increase in the number of problem gamblers, does the minister acknowledge the report notes a decline of over 30 per cent in the proportion of people seeking help from gambling support services related to their own gambling and a 15 per cent decline in the proportion of people seeking help for someone else’s gambling?
(b) What specifically has the minister directed be considered and/or included in the Gambling Support Program Strategic Framework 2020-23, beyond previous efforts or initiatives, to achieve an improved result in the number of people seeking help from gambling support services?
ANSWER (3) (a) The report states the estimated proportion of people seeking help for problems related to their own gambling has decreased from 0.6 per cent in 2013 to 0.4 per cent in 2017 (Volume 2, Chapter 9, Section 9.3). Under Section 9.3 the report states ‘Results were comparable with those seen in 2011 and 2013’.
The report states that the estimated proportion of people seeking help for problems related to someone else’s gambling has decreased from 1.3 per cent in 2013 to 1.1 per cent in 2017 (Volume 2, Chapter 9, Section 9.3). The report does not indicate a significant difference between 2013 and 2017.
(b) See answer to (2)(b).
QUESTION (4) What are the updated findings from the latest SEIS report on –
(a) the gender breakdown of clients of gambling support services;
(b) the age group most likely to be clients of gambling support services, and whether that is reflective of the age group(s) with a higher prevalence of use of EGMs;
(c) the methods of referral to gambling support services; and
(d) compared with the general population, the levels of satisfaction with general health and psychological health experienced by people with a gambling problem, moderate-risk gamblers and low-risk gamblers?
ANSWER (4) The SEIS is undertaken every three years with the next report due in 2020.
QUESTION (5) (a) Was data on the socio-economic profile of problem gambling in Tasmania included in the most recent SEIS report?
(b) If so, what are the updated findings from the latest SEIS report on the socio-economic profile of problem gambling in Tasmania?
(c) If not, was data on the socio-economic profile of problem gambling collected by the researchers but not included in the report?
(d) If the data was not collected, why was it removed from the SEIS data collection between 2013 and 2017?
(e) If the data was collected but not included in the report, who made the decision to exclude it and what was the rationale for its exclusion?
ANSWER (5) (a) Yes. Please refer to Part 1, Chapter 7, Section 7.5 Table 7.3 – Gambling Severity by Selected Demographic Characteristics, Fourth Social and Economic Impact Study of Gambling in Tasmania (2017) – Volume 2. The table summarises the demographic characteristics of each of the gambling severity categories in 2017.
(b) Table 7.3 shows compared to all Tasmanian adults, the prevalence of problem gambling was significantly higher amongst males (0.9 per cent versus 0.6 per cent of all Tasmanian adults). No other significant differences were noted for problem gamblers compared to the Tasmanian adult population.
Due to the relatively small number of problem gamblers (0.6 per cent) identified in the 2017 prevalence survey, and the comparatively high relative standard errors which resulted from this, the demographic profile has been combined with the moderate-risk group (1.4 per cent). The prevalence of moderate-risk/problem gambling was higher among males (2.8 per cent) than females (1.2 per cent). No other significant subgroup differences were noted in 2017.
(c) Not applicable.
(d) Not applicable.
(e) Some of the data on problem gamblers in Table 7.3 is not available for publication due to insufficient responses from a small sample size.
Both the 2013 and 2017 prevalence studies were completed by an independent consortium led by ACIL Allen Consulting. Both studies were subject to two peer reviews, which included review of the methodological design and the data analysis. Matters raised were addressed by the consultant in the final report.
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