Increased requests for help by problem gamblers: data from a gambling crisis telephone hotline.

AIM: A report on the rate and profile of calls received by a national gambling telephone hotline for a twelve month period covering six month periods before and after the opening of New Zealand's second casino located in Auckland. METHODS: Data collected by the hotline for normal counselling purposes during the year ended July 31, 1996 were collated and analysed for trends, gambler profiles and reported problem gambling modes. RESULTS: New first time callers accessing the hotline service during the period comprised 732 problem gamblers and 604 significant others of problem gamblers ( 1,336 new callers in total). Numbers of these new callers contacting the service increased from 510 in the first six months to 826 for the second similar period. Problem gamblers and significant others of problem gamblers reported relatively specific problem modes, rather than generalised problem gambling behaviour. Reported problem modes were track (horse and dog) racing comprising 25% of problem modes, video gambling machines ('poker' machines) 49%, casinos 24% and other modes 2%. New callers increased by 62% in the second half of the year. Casinos increased from 7% of reported problems in the six months prior to the opening of the Auckland casino, to 34% of reported problems for the six months following. Seventy three percent of problem gambler callers were forty years of age or younger, with 15% under 25 years of age. Most problem gambler callers were male (70%), while most significant other callers were male (77%). Maori problem gambler callers comprised 24% of all gamblers and 35% of female problem gambler callers. CONCLUSIONS: Increased use of the gambling crisis hotline by new callers coincided with increased availability of gambling opportunities, particularly gambling machines and a casino, and increased gambling turnover figures. Gambling machines appear to be over represented in reported problems, while reported casino gambling problems increased quickly with availability of the second casino. Maori callers, particularly female Maori, are high users of the gambling crisis hotline.