Stakeholders report / Arizona Office of Problem Gambling

              COMMUNITY EVENTS



PROBLEM GAMBLING WARNING SIGNS TOPIC OF STATE-WIDE CAMPAIGN

The Office has reached out to the people of Arizona with a public education program designed to increase awareness of problem gambling. The 2005 Fiscal Year was the first year of the campaign, and focused on creating awareness of the 1.800.NEXT STEP number. During the 2006 Fiscal Year, the focus of the campaign expanded to educating the public on the signs of problem gambling and reinforcing awareness that there is help available. Additionally, an aggressive public and media relations effort sparked a great deal of coverage of problem gambling issues in the news media.

Print Advertisement



As part of the Office's public education efforts, the Office played a part in trade shows and community events throughout Arizona during the past year. The public education materials developed throughout the year were also used in these settings. Some of those events included:

  Tribal events, such as the Pow-Wow at ASU, Native American Recognition Days, and the Gila River Wellness Fair   Participation in county fairs   Events targeting audiences with particular risk for problem gambling, such as older adults   Special events such as the Prescott Frontier Days   Sponsorship of annual conferences and continuing education for behavioral health professionals



OUR VISION SUPPORT A SUSTAINABLE CONTINUUM OF SERVICES THAT REDUCES TO A MINIMUM LEVEL THE IMPACT OF PROBLEM GAMBLING IN ARIZONA



He lied to his wife about gambling online.

Problem Gambling. Know The Signs. Get Help.



Th



c at



ou



ld



be



a



ob pr



lem



.



WEB SITE SERVES AS VALUABLE EDUCATION TOOL

The Office of Problem Gambling's web site has become a significant tool in educating Arizonans about problem gambling. The site serves as a repository for key data and studies related to problem gambling, and provides such resources as self-tests, treatment information and a section on youth gambling. Statistics reveal the effectiveness of the Office web site:

  Unique visitors rose from 737 in January, 2006 to 1,085 in October with an August high of 1,246. 2,570 visitors remained on the site 2 minutes or longer.   Since Jaunuary 2006, 36% (3,156) of the visitors bookmarked the site in their browser's favorites.   The page visited most frequently on the site listed contact information for treatment providers. Rounding out the top 5 pages visited, were pages providing information on Gamblers Anonymous, treatment provider information, self-exclusion, and signs of problem gambling.



MAILING ADDRESS ARIZONA OFFICE OF PROBLEM GAMBLING 202 EAST EARLL DRIVE, SUITE 200 PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85012 TELEPHONE 602.266.8299 E-MAIL CONTACT@PROBLEMGAMBLING.AZ.GOV



Visit problemgambling.az.gov and learn the top 10 warning signs of problem gambling, plus valuable tips on gambling responsibly.



Billboard



www.problemgambling.az.gov



www.problemgambling.az.gov



www.problemgambling.az.gov



DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

Dear Problem Gambling Stakeholders, This report provides a brief summary of the progress we have made over the past year to achieve goals we established in 2005. As we continue to spread the message that help and hope are available for problem gambling, we've seen more people coming into treatment, an increase in calls to the state helpline, and more behavioral health professionals receiving training to effectively serve problem gambling clients and those affected by problem gambling. We are encouraged by these developments and also realize that much more needs to be done. We are working to improve access to problem gambling counselors throughout rural Arizona. We are identifying areas where more research on problem gambling is needed. We are taking steps to raise awareness in our state that help exists for problem gamblers and those affected by problem gambling -- help in the form of 12-step programs such as Gamblers Anonymous and Gam Anon, professional treatment, self exclusion from the casinos, and help line crisis counseling. You may be the key to addressing these needs. We are anxious to work with you to meet our common goals. Our partnerships with Arizona's casinos, the State Lottery, the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, the State Bar, and other organizations suggest to us that, as we work together, there is much that can be accomplished on behalf of those in need. Please let us know how we can assist you in your efforts to help problem gamblers and others negatively affected by problem gambling.



WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CASINOS NOW #1 REFERRAL SOURCE FOR 1.800.NEXT STEP

Callers to the Office of Problem Gambling's help line identified Arizona casinos as the primary source of the number for the first time in Fiscal Year 2006. In addition to the increase in call volume over the past three years, the percentage of people learning about the number from casinos has been on the rise. This indicates that casinos are active partners in the effort to combat problem gambling. Training events in Phoenix and Tucson provided behavioral health professionals with 72 hours of training on problem gambling treatment in Fiscal Year 2006. Participant feedback on the training sessions has been extraordinarily positive. All licensed behavioral health professionals in Arizona received announcements of the trainings, and 2-for-1 scholarships were offered to potential counselors in rural areas to meet demand for services throughout Arizona. Direct mailings also encouraged licensed behavioral health counselors and agencies to become contracted providers.



CASINOS WORK TO ADDRESS PROBLEM GAMBLING TREATMENT SERVICES EXPAND

More people sought professional counseling for problem gambling issues and more providers began offering problem gambling counseling during Fiscal Year 2006. In addition to serving more clients, providers have established new locations in Tucson, Mesa, Ahwatukee and Glendale -- making services more accessible on a statewide basis. Spanish-speaking providers are now available in Tucson and Glendale, and several more bilingual counselors have received training on problem gambling issues. The Office is continuing to foster relationships with counseling agencies specializing in serving the Hispanic community. A new contracting process has been implemented to encourage provider development. We anticipate granting several more contracts to new providers and look forward to further broadening our provider infrastructure in rural Arizona.



LOTTERY CONTINUES TO PROMOTE 1.800.NEXT STEP

The Arizona Lottery installed nearly 2,600 video terminals throughout the state during the past year. Among the messages displayed is a screen declaring that help is available for problem gambling and showing the 1.800.NEXT STEP number. This message cycles throughout the entire work day, typically at locations that are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This represents a continuing commitment on the part of the Arizona Lottery to help get out the message that problem gambling is a treatable disorder and that help is available.



Helpline Calls

Total Helpline Calls Learned at Casino 773 1012



THE OFFICE PARTNERS WITH STATE BAR TO TEACH LAWYERS ABOUT PROBLEM GAMBLING

Through a partnership with the State Bar, every lawyer in Arizona received an invitation to attend an August 2005 continuing legal education course focused on problem gambling. Those attorneys in attendance heard presentations by, and asked questions of, two nationally certified problem gambling counselors in our state -- Renee Siegel and Kathryn Elliot-Hudson. Rick Pyper, General Counsel to the Department of Gaming and Director of the Office of Problem Gambling, spoke to ethical considerations facing attorneys with problem gambling clients.



Arizona casinos are helping the Office of Problem Gambling's public education efforts by displaying the 1.800.NEXT STEP number in their facilities and providing literature to their patrons. Additionally, some casinos educate employees about problem gambling issues and warning signs, facilitate the self-exclusion process for patrons, and provide problem gambling links on their web sites. Arizona's casinos have been strong partners in the effort to educate the public on the issue, and continue to provide information at a key point of contact for many problem gamblers.



Our Mission is to provide and support effective problem gambling prevention, treatment, and education programs throughout Arizona



519 30.1% 28.3% 10.1%



Outpatient Treatment Clients

FY 2006 FY 2005 FY 2004 483 556 653



GAMBLING QUESTIONS ADDED TO ARIZONA YOUTH SURVEY

Through collaboration with the Office, the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission included a series of questions addressing gambling issues in the 2006 Arizona Youth Survey. Students were asked to report how often (if ever) they participated in various gambling activities in the past year and whether they had ever gambled on those activities during their lifetime. Over 47,000 students in grades 8, 10 and 12 from all 15 counties in Arizona responded to the gambling questions on the survey. While we are still analyzing the wealth of data gained from the survey to assist our future prevention efforts, initial data from the report shows the following youth gambling activities by grade in Arizona. A new section of the Office web site is designed to provide education and awareness to educators, parents, and youth in the community about the growing issue of youth gambling.



FY 2004



FY 2005



FY 2006



Caller Referral Source FY 2006

Unknown 10.1% Magazine 0.1% Phone Book 26%



Lottery Website 2.8% Movie Theatre 0.2% Other 15.2%



YOUNGER MEN, OLDER WOMEN SELF-EXCLUDING FROM CASINOS

4.5%



Self Excluded Male & Female Age Groups

32% 37%



Lifetime Participation in Gambling Activities by Grade

8th 10th 12th



OPG Website 1.0%



26% 27% 22%



Person Familiar with Problem Gambling Program



50

% Participatiion



Rick Pyper Director, Arizona Office of Problem Gambling



Billboard 2.4%



Radio 6.9% Casino 30.1%



Newspaper 0.7%



As of October 2nd, 2006, 1,434 people are currently enrolled in the casino self-exclusion program. Designed to assist individuals experiencing problem gambling behaviors, the program allows individuals to "ban" themselves from Arizona casinos for a period of 1, 5 or 10 years. The following chart shows the age and gender of individuals using this resource.



40 30 20 10

Casino Lottery Bet on Sports Cards Horses Bingo Internet Dice Games of Skill



Male Female

11% 11% 6% 3% 2% 6% 18%



Age 21-24



25-34



35-44



45-54



55-64



Over 65