This can lead some players to recognize the irrational belief systems that support their problem gambling. Once the training package was developed, the committee organized a pilot test of the material on three groups of 20 hotel and restaurant managers and senior staff from both urban and rural VLT sites. The workshop, they said, taught them practical skills, helping them to identify and assist customers with problems, and increasing their confidence in doing so. With this positive feedback, AFM prevention and education consultants then offered the training to siteholders throughout the province. The training is now held at different locations throughout the year.
Training is free and attendance is voluntary.
Participants evaluate the workshop at the end of the day and take part in a follow-up evaluation three months later. Information from these evaluations will help set the direction for further development of the program. It will be presented at the gambling conference in Edmonton this September. Eighty-four clients participated in what turned out to be one of the few clinical studies on VLT problem gambling in existence. The study revealed that the VLT gambling problems experienced by the 84 clients were serious.