Our outputs
Gambling
Queensland's Office of Gaming Regulation delivers the gambling output. It is the lead agency responsible for maintaining the integrity and probity of the gambling industry in Queensland. Its responsible gambling policy and research activities and its management of community benefit fund grant programs shows its strong commitment to ensuring that on balance the community benefits from gambling.
Vision and mission
Vision
To be a world-leading gambling authority committed to ensuring that gambling is conducted in the interest of the community.
Mission
Our mission is to:
- ensure a best practice regulatory and policy framework which provides for probity, integrity and a socially responsible industry structure
- promote responsible gambling practices that contribute to the sustainable development of safer and more supportive communities
- allocate funds from the Gambling Community Benefit Fund for the community benefit.
Structure
Under Treasurer Gerard Bradley
- Office of Gaming Regulation
- Acting Executive Director Michael Sarquis
- Acting Director, Compliance Anthea Derrington
- Director, Licensing and Gaming Services Linda Woo
- Acting Director, Policy and Legislation Denis Cowell
- Director, Finance and Administrative Services Barry Grimes
- Acting Director, Research and Community Engagement Penny Marshall
- Acting Executive Director Michael Sarquis
Output performance highlights
| Measures | Target | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | ||
| Audit, probity and inspection activities completed in accordance with annual program | 95% | 97% |
| Quality | ||
| Percentage of gambling providers committing to the implementation of the Code of Practice | 70% | 83% |
| Suitability of all gambling participants and systems proven to be satisfactory | 95% | 96% |
| People using intervention services who report a decrease in their gambling problems | 65% | 65% |
| Timeliness | ||
| Licence applications processed within set times | 90% | 89% |
| Gambling Community Benefit Fund applications processed within set times | 95% | 99% |
Highlights
| Strategic business priority | Highlights | The year ahead |
|---|---|---|
Maintain high probity standards and ensure that gambling activities are conducted with honesty and integrity. |
Processed 4,774 gaming licences and investigated 614 alleged breaches of legislation. Conducted 42 audits of major gaming organisations. Commenced implementation of the gaming machine audit methodology initiative. |
Renew five year individual and gaming machine premises licences. Take a lead role in inter-jurisdictional bodies to advance the cause of sound regulation and responsible gambling. Fully implement the gaming machine audit methodology initiatives and promote sound governance among gaming operators. |
Increase community awareness and education in relation to the impacts of gambling on individuals and the community. |
Provided funding of $9.2 million for responsible gambling programs from the Responsible Gambling Fund. Commenced a new regime for excluding problem gamblers from gambling activities. |
Provide $13.4 million in funding for ongoing responsible gambling programs and new initiatives from the Responsible Gambling Fund. |
Support community organisations to meet local needs though grants programs. |
Over $39.22 million, from the gambling community benefit fund grant programs was allocated to 2,575 community projects across Queensland. Established the Golden Casket Foundation grants program to support medical research in Queensland. |
Distribute an estimated $38.6 million in grants from the gambling community benefit funds across Queensland. Allocate $1.2 million from the Golden Casket Foundation to support medical research in Queensland. |
Gambling expenditure 2000-01 to 2004-05
Analysis: Gambling expenditure represents the amount spent by patrons on gambling products. We are committed to balancing the economic benefits and the social effects of gambling. To achieve this, 8.5 per cent of all gambling taxes (except casinos, which have their own casino community benefit funds) are allocated to the Community Investment Fund (CIF). The CIF provides funding back to the community through the Gambling Community Benefit Fund grants program, gambling help services, responsible gambling strategies and programs of State-wide significance.
Key issues facing the output
- Ensuring community expectations in relation to the probity and integrity of Queensland's gambling industry are met.
- Community concern in relation to the balance between the costs and benefits of gambling and the need for effective community consultation.
- Increased demand for Government decisions to be evidence-based and for quality research to be applied to Government decision making.
- Globalisation of the gambling industry and shift in dominance and influence of industry participants.
- Rapid advances in technology and innovation, including electronic gambling equipment, e-commerce, cashless gaming, networking of gaming machines and increased usage of the internet.
- Increased cooperation between the states, national and international jurisdictions for integrated responses to issues.
Strategic business priorities
Strategic business priority - Maintain high probity standards and ensure that gambling activities are conducted with honesty and integrity.
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Conducted investigations
Our investigation and licensing regime is one of the main ways Treasury helps to maintain the integrity and probity of the gambling industry. During 2004-05 we investigated 614 alleged breaches of gaming legislation and processed over 4,700 gaming licences. Where breaches were identified, Treasury undertook enforcement and remedial actions.
A total of 42 audits of major gaming organisations were conducted in 2004-05. These audits ensure the integrity and probity of gaming and support effective revenue collection.
In 2000, the term of licences under the Gaming Machine Act 1991 was increased from two years to five years. As a result, in 2005-06, Treasury will be renewing an estimated 6,559 individual and 414 gaming machine premises licences.
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Implemented a new audit methodology for gaming machines
A new gaming machine audit methodology was trialled for a six month period from 1 October 2004 . The new methodology focuses on a risk-based approach to the audit and inspection of club and hotel gaming machine licensees. As well as venues being audited at least once every three years, the new methodology involves performing random and targeted, unannounced inspections. We will also target critical legislative provisions that have been identified as having an unsatisfactory level of compliance. The new methodology will be extended to cover all of Queensland from 1 July 2005. -
Investigated private sector or third party involvement in club operations
An analysis of private sector or third party involvement in the operations of clubs was completed. In 2004-05 a review of private interest arrangements in other gaming activities such as art unions and lucky envelope operations was commenced.
In 2005-06, we will undertake on-site investigations at clubs with private interest involvement. These investigations will review the control of the elected body over the club's affairs and delivery of management services.
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Re-allocation scheme for gaming machines in hotels
The scheme allows gaming machines from hotels to re-allocated to other hotels within the State-wide cap on gaming machines. Since the introduction of the scheme in July 2003, 623 authorities have been traded in the three tenders. Funds of $37.6 million were raised from the sales and channelled into the Community Investment Fund. The next tender is planned for the fourth quarter of 2005 and we will review the effectiveness of the scheme in 2005-06.
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Piloted card technology for gaming
A field trial was conducted in 2005 to test the feasibility of patrons to using card technology when playing gaming machines. The card technology allows gaming machine players to set playing limits and aims to encourage responsible gambling practices. Treasury developed requirements for the implementation of card-based gaming, which includes industry technical standards and consumer protection measures. These requirements will be reviewed in 2005-06 to incorporate further trial outcomes.
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Leading role in gambling regulation
We continue to take a leadership role in inter-jurisdictional bodies, through chairing the working parties on national gambling research, responsible gambling, probity and wagering for the Australasian Casino and Gaming Chief Executive Officers Group. In 2006 we will host the Australasian Casino and Gaming Regulator's Conference, which will bring together regulators from all Australian jurisdictions, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea to discuss issues impacting on the gaming industry.
Treasury is taking a leading role in encouraging the gambling industry to assist regulators in other states to adopt a standard communication protocol for gaming machine monitoring. The protocol allows the electronic transfer of information from gaming machines to monitoring systems.
The Responsible Gambling Advisory Committee (RGAC) is a major force behind our responsible gambling strategy. As a result of our strong community engagement focus, we've formed a strong partnership with the community and industry through the RGAC. Together we work hard to minimise the harmful effects of gambling and to create an environment of responsible gambling. Treasury will continue to work with industry and the community to ensure Queensland is a leader in gambling regulation.
Strategic business priority - Increase community awareness and education in relation to the impacts of gambling on individuals and the community.
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Produced education and community awareness resources
The Queensland Government continues to lead other states in creating an environment for responsible gambling through implementing its ground breaking Responsible Gambling Strategy. As part of this Strategy, in October 2004, Treasury released the Responsible Gambling Teaching Resource Kit for students in years 4 to 12. Three thousand kits were produced with 2,400 delivered to schools across Queensland. The kit is a smart way of preventing problem gambling in our community. We are committed to continually investing and improving the kit and will be releasing the maths module and undertaking a formal evaluation in 2005-06.
Another innovative responsible gambling strategy has been the community awareness campaign. Launched on 17 April 2005 , the Responsible Gambling Community Awareness Campaign was the first responsible gambling campaign implemented by any state government in Australia and it gives Queensland one of the most comprehensive communication campaigns for gambling community awareness of any state in Australia . Unlike other states which have focused on targeting problem gamblers, these advertisements are designed to stop people becoming problem gamblers, with a message targeted at regular gamblers in the mainstream population. The campaign ran until 30 June 2005.
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Implemented a new exclusions regime
Treasury introduced new legislation from 1 May 2005 requiring gambling providers to exclude a patron from the venue when the patron requests to be self-excluded. The legislation also gives gambling providers the authority, but not a duty, to initiate venue based exclusions. This legislation strengthens the industry based, Responsible Gambling Code of Practice.
Strategic business priority - Support community organisations to meet local needs though grants programs.
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Distributed grants to the community
We help to ensure, there is a balance between the social effects and economic benefits of gambling. One way we do this is by investing gambling taxes straight back into the community, through the Gambling Community Benefit Fund and three casino community benefit fund grants programs.
In 2004-05 the Gambling Community Benefit Fund grants program, provided over $32.93 million, to 2,160 community projects across Queensland. Since the Fund began in 1994, it has provided more than $272.65 million to help 26,756 Queensland community projects become a reality. It is the largest source of direct non-recurrent project based funding for Queensland not-for-profit community groups, helping them deliver local solutions in their communities.
The three casino community benefit funds distributed over $6.28 million in grants to 415 community projects throughout Queensland. In 2005-06, the Gambling Community Benefit Fund and casino community benefit funds will distribute an estimated $38.6 million to Queensland community organisations.
In April 2005, the Golden Casket Foundation was jointly established by the Queensland Government and the Golden Casket Lottery Corporation Ltd. The Foundation is funded from interest earned by Golden Casket on unclaimed first division lotto prizes. In 2005-06 it will allocate an estimated $1.2 million in grants for medical research projects or equipment to eligible Queensland organisations.
