kaixinxingdong.org.nz > Newspaper campaigns > 4th Campaign 2009 > Leaving a gambling problem behind

Leaving a gambling problem behind

Introducing the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand's Asian Service and increasing awareness around gambling problems in general.

The Problem Gambling Foundation (PGF) Asian Service, established in 1998, has a team of Asian professionals who work closely with Asian communities, including social workers and counselors who can speak fluent Mandarin, Cantonese and Korean.

After a decade of development, the Asian service is now provided in Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, Wellington and Dunedin, and has increased its cultural services to Thai, Vietnamese and Cambodian communities.

Unclear when ‘gambling' becomes a problem

Unlike in New Zealand, gambling is illegal in China. Chinese people like to play Mahjong or poker in their leisure time as a means to entertain friends and cultivate friendships. There is no problem with this. However, it can become a problem when the focus of the social gathering changes from fun to a way of making money.

This is especially problematic for those who spend their money on gambling instead of using it to pay bills or buy necessities. When these priorities are lost, their gambling impacts negatively on their lives. For a small number of people, a severe gambling problem can become their primary focus and they feel unable to stop.

For some Chinese migrants, gambling is due to culture conflict, or lack of social support and friends. Research has shown relocating and re-establishing social status can be mentally challenging at times. This can trigger grief for migrants around leaving their home country. Financial stress, and believing that gambling can help to generate income, also contributes to problem gambling.

Asian Problem Gambling's team leader Wenli Zhang says it is important to understand that gambling can become an addiction. When this happens, it can be beyond an individual's ability to make the changes on their own.

Stigma attached to problem gambling

There is stigma attached to people who experience problem gambling and, because of the fear of losing face, many Chinese people refuse to seek help. Even when family members are aware of the problem, they would rather stay silent instead of asking for help. As a result, many people don't seek help until after their savings and properties are gone.

Many Chinese people do not understand the impact of problem gambling, nor do they know where to get help. The PGF Asian Service is working hard to combat this by educating Chinese communities about these issues.

Countering stigma and discrimination can help to support and encourage Chinese people to seek help early for problem gambling.

Understanding social services and counseling

Miss Zhang says Chinese professionals working with Chinese communities face many challenges, one of which is that many people do not understand what counseling or social services are. She says the purpose of counseling is to help people learn about themselves, and to put in place strategies to help them deal with gambling problems. It is not about imposing the professional's own values on the client.

For families who are facing financial crisis because of gambling, PGF can refer them to a financial professional to help them learn about budgeting and money management. In some cases they may also be eligible for help from Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ).

Miss Zhang hopes families can step forward and ask for help when their loved one is experiencing problem gambling issues. She says often the person who has the problem might not able to recognize the severity of their behavior and how it is impacting their family as well as their finances. If the family can intervene and ask for help, the professional guidance can help them to engage with the person who has problem, which will often enable them to see things differently.

Family members should try not to give up on the person with the problem; instead they should learn effective strategies to look after themselves as well as their family member.

Miss Zhang says by educating and providing information about counseling and social work, we can help to change the perceptions held by Chinese communities.

PGF workshops and presentations

PGF also provides workshops and presentations to raise awareness of problem gambling in Chinese communities. She hopes organisations can work closely together to build a better Asian social network to support Chinese people experiencing problems around gambling.
Real-life case study

Miss Zhang highlights a real-life example to demonstrate how family members can gain support from PGF.

PGF ran a TV campaign portraying a woman who shared her experience of how she got help for her husband. The husband became addicted to pokie machines and lost all his savings in over a four to five year period.

When the man's wife found out, she was very angry and upset. She came to the PGF and asked for help. They both received couples counseling and help with arranging a restriction from entering gambling venues.

Unfortunately, twice, when the husband experienced extreme distress and family conflict, he returned to his old habit. The counselor told him not to worry about the relapse, as it is very common. As long as he was still committed to the counseling and did not give up.

After some time, the couple's relationship improved and the counselor helped the woman to identify ways she could help her husband when he faced a relapse, and what she could do to help herself. Now they are living a peaceful life together.

Types of services offered by PGF

The PGF Asian Service provides these free services:

People can refer themselves to these confidential services, and are welcome to call the Mandarin or Cantonese hotline: 0800 862 342.

Each year, PGF celebrates Gambling Free Day on 1 September. The organisation works with Auckland restaurants on a discount promotion around increasing the awareness of the harm of problem gambling.

 

Top Page last updated: 23 July 2010