To help ensure safer gaming throughout New Zealand, ServiceIQ, Industry Training Organisation for the hospitality industry, together with Clubs New Zealand, is making its online training course free for staff working in bars and clubs that offer gaming.
The offer comes after an Internal Affairs undercover operation at 120 venues revealed that only eight per cent are meeting their “host responsibilities”.
ServiceIQ Chief Executive Dean Minchington, says there are no excuses for gaming businesses not to train their staff in what is a legal requirement.
“The findings from this latest operation make New Zealand look like the Wild West. Being a responsible host is an extremely important role for the wellbeing of New Zealanders. Venues that do not follow the rules risk letting down their members and guests, and face fines for breaching the gambling rules,” says Dean.
“We want to support industry to provide the necessary protection for their staff, their patrons and their business by making the course which normally costs just $25 a person even more easily available. It takes about an hour to complete online and to help the industry we’re now making it free.”
Clubs New Zealand Chief Executive Larry Graham, is right behind the free offer: “This is a great opportunity that we expect businesses to take advantage of immediately.
“It’s simple. Training in harm minimization for all staff working in venues where gaming is on offer is compulsory. That means that all pokie and TAB venues must have staff specially trained in gambling host responsibilities, and at least one trained person must be on duty at all times while gambling is available.”
ServiceIQ and Clubs New Zealand created the online course to help make it easy for hospitality owners to give their staff the necessary training they need to help protect customers against problem gambling.
The course ‘Being a Responsible Gambling Host’ meets the legal training requirements. It is specifically designed for people who work in any hospitality establishment operating pokies or TAB facilities. It includes everything staff need to know: gambling awareness, minimising harm in gambling (including identifying problem gambling), approaching a problem gambler, problem gambling services and responsible hosting.
People who successfully complete the course will be able to take on Gambling Host responsibilities, explain host responsibilities under the Gambling (Harm Prevention and Minimisation) Regulations 2004 and the Racing (Harm Prevention and Minimisation) Regulations 2004, to identify and talk with a problem gambler, issue an exclusion order and direct members and guests to support services.
ServiceIQ invites all gaming businesses to protect their customers, their staff and their business by completing the programme online at: https://www.serviceiqskillsonline.org.nz/
