What happens when addiction practitioners in recovery relapse?
The presence of practitioners in recovery from their own addiction as members of teams working with addictions has a critical value in developing service effectiveness. From the point of view of clients coming to a service, the visible presence of recovering...
Who the heck wants more gambling?
The licensing of more and new forms of gambling has been heading in only one direction, that is, more, more and still more. But who is really asking for “more”? In New Zealand, for example, in 2012 the Prime Minister, John Key, committed to a deal with Auckland’s...
The consumption of profits is the main driver for gambling harm
The source of harm from gambling is commonly located with the excessive consumption by a small group of people referred to as “problem gamblers”. While, certainly, the misery experienced by problem gamblers and their families are of major concern, this is not where...
Gambling machine rooms are designed to promote problem play
The widespread proliferation of commercial gambling machines (also variously referred to as ‘slots’, ‘fruit machines’, ‘poker machines’, ‘pokies’ or ‘electronic gambling machines’) and improvements to their design have contributed to rising levels of harm from...
New Zealand Government’s deal with Auckland casino
During 2013 New Zealand's centre-right (National) government, led by the then Prime Minister John Key, made a deal with Auckland's SkyCity casino for a number of licensing concessions with the understanding they would fund the construction of a large convention...