Application

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to provide responsible gambling services, and to assist those customers who may be at risk of or are already experiencing harm from gambling.
Responsible gambling services must be provided wherever gambling activities are undertaken. In the hospitality industry, the gambling environment is usually referred to as the gaming area and is provided in a range of venues, such as hotels, motels, clubs, pubs and casinos.
The major forms of gambling are wagering (racing and sport) and gaming (gaming machines, table games, Keno and lotteries). Both forms of gambling are relevant to the hospitality industry.
Hospitality venues may operate Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) outlets for wagering on racing and sport events. They may also cover the full range of gaming activities, including operating gaming machines, table games, Keno and lotteries.
Responsible provision of gambling services is an essential underpinning skill for all hospitality personnel involved in the sale and service of gambling activities in licensed premises, including the licensee, gaming supervisors and gaming managers when involved in operational gambling activities.
The unit applies equally to frontline operational gambling personnel who operate with a limited level of autonomy and under some supervision and guidance from others. They would operate within predefined organisational procedures, and regulatory authority and industry and organisational codes of conduct.
Those developing training to support this unit must consult the relevant state and territory gaming licensing authority to determine accreditation arrangements for courses, trainers and assessors.
The unit also relates to satisfying the requirements for providing responsible gambling services under state and territory legislation. The terms used to describe this vary across state and territory regulatory bodies and can include Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG), Responsible Service of Gaming, or Responsible Service of Gambling (RSG).
Under differing state and territory legislation this is a required certification unit for certain nominated personnel operating in licensed gambling premises.

What You'll Learn

Assessment Requirements

Performance Evidence

Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:
• identify appropriate organisational processes in response to each of the following gambling related situations:
• customer request for self-exclusion or assistance
• customer request for counselling services
• venue exclusion of self-identified problem gambler
• dealing with disputes or complaints
• refusal of credit
• under-age gambling
• follow organisational policies and procedures for implementing the following responsible gambling practices on at least one occasion:
• provision and appropriate placement of signage, advertising and promotional materials and activities
• use of strategies to indicate the passage of time
• use of strategies that encourage breaks in play.

Knowledge Evidence

Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
• current state/territory and national legislation and industry and organisational policies and procedures in regard to responsible provision of gambling services
• signs and impacts of harm from gambling:
• bills that cannot be paid by the player due to excessive gambling
• borrowing money to gamble
• changes in sleeping or eating habits due to gambling
• committing illegal acts to finance gambling
• considering self-harm as a result of gambling
• feelings of remorse after gambling
• gambling more money than the player can afford
• gambling that makes the home life of the player unhappy
• gambling to escape worry or personal problems
• trying to win back gambling losses
• public interest reasons for implementing responsible service of gambling practices:
• government and community concerns with problem gambling
• economic costs of problem gambling
• principles of harm minimisation and strategies to reduce the harm associated with gambling:
• containing gambling-related signage to inside the venue
• positioning clocks with the correct time in visible locations in gaming machine areas
• not publishing gaming machine advertising
• not locating automatic teller machine (ATM) in gaming areas
• ensuring that ATM facilities do not allow cash withdrawals from credit accounts
• key requirements of responsible gaming services as detailed in:
• house policies
• industry and organisational codes of practice
• state and territory gaming legislation and regulations
• state and territory licensing authority regulations and policies
• organisational responsible gambling service procedures for:
• displaying appropriate gambling-related signage:
• available gambling counselling services, self-exclusion programs and contact cards
• chances of winning and probability
• gaming machine notices regarding gambling warning
• house policy and industry code of conduct for responsible gambling services
• self exclusion and exclusion provisions
• venue code of conduct
• maintaining confidentiality and privacy requirements
• maintaining records of gambling related incidents and associated staff action
• self exclusion and exclusion:
• customer requesting to be barred from gaming or to have access limited
• third party exclusion
• venue exclusion
• response to attempts to breach exclusion
• procedures for self-exclusion:
• referral to colleague, supervisor or manager, according to scope of responsibility
• referral to counsellors and support services
• initiating exclusion processes when requested by customer
• role of individual staff members, supervisors and managers in providing responsible gambling services
• ramifications for an organisation and an individual of non-compliance with responsible gaming requirements
• available counselling services and referral procedures.

Assessment Conditions

Skills must be demonstrated in an operational gaming environment. This can be:
• an industry workplace; or
• a simulated industry environment set up for the purposes of assessment.
Assessment must ensure access to:
• facility where industry-realistic gambling activities occur
• current regulatory documents, legislative publications and codes of conduct outlining responsible gambling requirements distributed by key state and territory gambling licensing agencies
• industry and organisational codes of conduct, policies, procedures, information, signage and brochures relating to responsible gambling services
• industry-realistic range of customers involved in gambling activities; these can be:
• customers in an industry workplace who are participating in gambling activities; or
• individuals who participate in role plays or simulated activities, set up for the purpose of assessment, in a simulated industry environment operated within a training organisation.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations’ requirements for assessors and have worked in industry for at least three years where they have applied the skills and knowledge of this unit of competency.

Foundation Skills

• {'skill': 'Reading skills to:', 'description': 'read and interpret at times complex information relating to:industry or regulatory codes of conduct relating to responsible gamblingin-house policies and procedures relating to responsible gamblingplain English regulatory and advisory information issued by local, state and territory gambling licensing authorities.; industry or regulatory codes of conduct relating to responsible gambling; in-house policies and procedures relating to responsible gambling; plain English regulatory and advisory information issued by local, state and territory gambling licensing authorities.'}
• {'skill': 'Oral communication skills to:', 'description': 'deal courteously and discreetly with customers at risk of harm from gambling or requesting self-exclusion, using non-confrontational language.'}
• {'skill': 'Problem-solving skills to:', 'description': 'apply appropriate solutions within scope of responsibility, or seek assistance from appropriate colleagues.'}
• {'skill': 'Technology skills to:', 'description': 'use a computer and appropriate software to record gambling-related incidents and staff actions.'}

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