Responsible gambling staff training in land-based venues: a systematic review

Abstract

ABSTRACT Multiple jurisdictions legislate responsible gambling staff training for providers of land-based gambling products or include it within the industry codes of conduct. Current training programs appear to focus on basic compliance with regulatory requirements. Although programs contain problem gambling information, staff are required to respond only when approached by individuals seeking assistance. A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines and preregistration protocols was undertaken to evaluate existing evidence of staff training program effectiveness and to assess the quality of the selected studies. 1,306 articles were identifiedbased gambling venues characterized by face-to-face contact with gambling customers. Results showed several methodological weaknesses in the studies which precluded any substantive conclusions regarding the effectiveness of training programs in reducing gambling-related fell short in providing practical skills necessary to deal with difficult situations. These findings imply that staff training programs should incorporate practical skill development for the proactive management of individuals exhibiting behavioral indicators of problem gambling Multiple jurisdictions legislate responsible gambling staff training for providers of land-based gambling products or include it within the industry codes of conduct. Current training programs appear to focus on basic compliance with regulatory requirements. Although programs contain problem gambling information, staff are required to respond only when approached by individuals seeking assistance. A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines and preregistration protocols was undertaken to evaluate existing evidence of staff training program effectiveness and to assess the quality of the selected studies. 1,306 articles were identified. 22 met the inclusion criteria of staff training programs in land-based gambling venues characterized by face-to-face contact with gambling customers. Results showed several methodological weaknesses in the studies which precluded any substantive conclusions regarding the effectiveness of training programs in reducing gambling-related harm. The findings did suggest that training programs provided some benefit to staff members overall and are reflected in the positive influence on staff confidence in assisting individuals showing signs of harm. However, programs fell short in providing practical skills necessary to deal with difficult situations. These findings imply that staff training programs should incorporate practical skill development for the management of individuals exhibiting behavioral indicators of problem gambling.