Connect Health & Community has held the problem gambling service tender for the South Eastern metropolitan and Peninsula regions since the service’s inception in 1995.
Victorian problem gambling support services first operated under the Department of Human Services as “BreakEven”, before being re-branded “Gambler’s Help” and operating under the Department of Justice.
Connect Health & Community’s vision is “optimal health and well being of our community”.
“Gambling issues are characterised by difficulties in limiting money and/or time spent on gambling which leads to adverse consequences for the gambler, others, or for the community.”
(Neal, Delfabbro, & O’Neil, 2005; commissioned by the Ministerial Council on Gambling)
Gambler’s Help Southern works to reduce the negative impacts of gambling by minimising or limiting risks for individuals and the community, without expecting to eliminate gambling participation. Harm prevention, education and treatment are all considered important.
Gambler’s Help Southern believes that:
Gambler’s Help is funded from the Responsible Gambling Fund, administered by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation (VRGF). The VRGF is an independent statutory authority. The Responsible Gambling Fund is drawn from the Victorian Government’s Community Support Fund, which receives 8.33% of the revenue from electronic gaming machines (pokies) located in Victorian hotels.
Gambler’s Help Southern is part of the Victorian Gambler’s Help service system. The Victorian Gambler’s Help network also includes: