Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to provide responsible gambling services, and information to customers who require assistance with their problem gambling.

The unit also relates to satisfying the requirements for providing responsible gambling services under state and territory legislation. The terms used to describe this vary across state and territory regulatory bodies and can include responsible conduct of gambling (RCG) and responsible service of gaming or responsible service of gambling (RSG).

Those developing training to support this unit must consult the relevant state and territory gaming licensing authority to determine accreditation arrangements for courses, trainers and assessors.

Under differing state and territory legislation this is a required certification unit only for certain nominated personnel operating in licensed gambling premises.

The requirement to ensure compliance with enterprise policies, legal obligations and codes of practice for gambling venues is not covered by this unit but may be found in SITHGAM005A Develop and manage gaming activities.

Application of the unit 

Responsible gambling services must be provided wherever gambling activities are undertaken. In the hospitality industry, the gambling environment is usually referred to as the gaming area and is provided in a range of venues such as hotels, motels, clubs, pubs and casinos.

Gambling is defined as the staking of money on uncertain events driven by chance. The major forms of gambling are wagering (racing and sport) and gaming (gaming machines, table games, Keno and lotteries). Both forms of gambling are relevant to the hospitality industry.

Hospitality venues operate Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) outlets for wagering on racing and sport events. They also cover the full range of gaming activities, including the operation of gaming machines, table games, Keno and lotteries.

The responsible provision of gambling services is an essential underpinning skill for any level of hospitality personnel involved in the sale and service of gambling activities in licensed premises, including the licencee, gaming supervisors and gaming managers when involved in operational gambling activities.

The unit applies equally to frontline operational gambling personnel who operate with a limited level of autonomy and under some supervision and guidance from others. They would operate within the predefined organisational procedures and industry and regulatory authority codes of conduct.

Operational job roles would include gaming attendant, table game attendant, croupier and multi-skilled food and beverage attendant.

Prerequisite units 

Nil

Employability skills 

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised  text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge and/or the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1

Provide responsible service of gambling.

1.1

Follow responsible gambling service procedures  according to relevant state and territory legislation and industry and enterprise policy  or codes of conduct.

1.2

Communicate with appropriate personnel on gambling -related incidents or situations  and compliance with legislation and industry and enterprise policy.

1.3

Maintain accurate records of gambling -related incidents  and associated staff action, according to industry and enterprise policy and procedures.

1.4

Ensure gambling environmental features  support responsible gambling policies.

2

Provide information and assistance to customers about problem gambling.

2.1

Provide accurate and appropriate information  on problem gambling  to customers on request.

2.2

Follow procedures  for self -exclusion and exclusion  requests according to legislation, industry and enterprise policy and confidentiality and privacy requirements.

2.3

Display signage and information  related to responsible gambling in appropriate places visible to players, according to industry, enterprise and legislative requirements.

2.4

Provide information on available support services according to confidentiality and privacy requirements, and industry, enterprise and legislative requirements.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit:

• appropriate communication and interpersonal skills for dealing with customers identifying problems with gambling and requesting self-exclusion
• literacy skills to read and interpret documents, such as problem gambling signage, general information and brochures; industry or regulatory codes of conduct; in-house policies and procedures; and general plain English regulatory and advisory information issued by local, state and territory gambling licensing authorities
• numeracy skills to explain chances of winning and probability as they relate to the gambling activities of the enterprise.

The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit:

• profile of gambling industry, including size and economic benefits of gambling
• reasons for and personal impacts of gambling problems
• public interest reasons for implementation of responsible service of gambling practices, including:

• government and community concerns with problem gambling
• economic costs of problem gambling

• principles of harm minimisation, and strategies to reduce the harm associated with problem gambling
• indicators of problem gambling, and understanding that indicators are not always overt and that assumptions cannot be made until customer indicates a problem and requests assistance
• roles of government, industry and the enterprise in providing responsible gambling services; broad working knowledge of the requirements of relevant state and territory legislation; and regulatory, industry and enterprise codes of conduct
• working knowledge of enterprise responsible gambling service procedures, especially self-exclusion and exclusion procedures; and the role of individual staff members, supervisors and managers in providing responsible gambling services
• working knowledge of the contents of problem gambling information provided by the enterprise
• available counselling services and referral procedures.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the following is essential:

• working knowledge and understanding of current legislation and industry and enterprise policies and procedures in relation to responsible service of gambling and the ramifications for the enterprise of non-compliance
• knowledge of underpinning reasons for and harm-minimisation approach of responsible gambling services
• ability to deal with requests for exclusion or counselling services tactfully and according to enterprise procedures
• project or work activities that show candidate's ability to provide responsible gambling services in a range different gambling-related situations to ensure consistency in the application of procedures.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• activities that allow the candidate to demonstrate the application of knowledge to specific responsible gambling service situations, which might include interaction with others to demonstrate appropriate communication skills
• access to current regulatory documents distributed by key state and territory gambling licensing agencies, such as plain English legislative publications and codes of conduct outlining responsible gambling requirements
• access to industry and enterprise codes of conduct, policies, procedures, information, signage and brochures relating to responsible gambling services.

Methods of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess the practical skills and knowledge required to provide responsible gambling services. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• direct observation of the candidate providing information to customers
• role-play to demonstrate appropriate interpersonal skills
• case studies or problem-solving to assess the application of knowledge to various problem-gambling situations and contexts
• oral or written questions to assess knowledge of gaming legislation, codes of practice and industry and enterprise procedures
• review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

This unit underpins effective performance in a range of gaming activities and so holistic assessment with other gaming units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is strongly recommended, including:

• SITHGAM001A Attend gaming machines
• SITHGAM002A Operate a TAB outlet
• SITHGAM003A Conduct a Keno game
• SITHGAM005A Develop and manage gaming activities.

However, determining competency for this unit must focus on the understanding and implementation of responsible provision of gambling services which meets the requirements of state and territory legislation.

Assessing employability skills 

Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts.

Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below.

Responsible gambling service procedures  may relate to:

• provision of gambling-related information, brochures and signage
• posting of signage in appropriate locations
• self-exclusion and exclusion procedures
• provision of appropriate environmental features
• responsible practices, such as offering a cooling off period or payment of large sums by cheque.

State and territory legislation and industry and enterprise policy  refer to:

• relevant state and territory gaming legislation and regulations
• relevant state and territory licensing authority regulations and policies
• industry codes of practice
• house policies.

Gambling -related incidents  include:

• requests for exclusion or assistance
• under-age gambling
• refusal of credit
• disputes or complaints
• involvement of families and friends
• impact of alcohol
• attempts to breach exclusion.

Gambling  may include:

• wagering on racing and sport events, including:

• TAB activities
• calcuttas and sweepstakes

• gaming, including:

• electronic gaming machines
• poker machines
• linked progressive jackpot systems
• Keno and lottery games
• table games
• miscellaneous games of chance
• bingo
• lucky envelopes
• multi-terminal gaming machines (MTGMs).

Gambling environmental features  include:

• provision and placement of signage
• lighting and availability of natural light
• provision and placements clocks
• placement of automatic teller machines (ATMs)
• strategies to indicate the passage of time
• strategies to encourage breaks in play
• advertising and promotional materials and activities
• positioning of machines, change machines and equipment.

Information  on problem gambling may include:

• availability of counselling services
• availability of self-exclusion programs
• availability of responsible gambling pamphlets.

Problem gambling  may involve:

• gambling more money than the player can afford
• gambling that makes the home life of the player unhappy
• feelings of remorse after gambling
• bills that cannot be paid by the player due to excessive gambling
• borrowing money to gamble
• trying to win back gambling losses
• gambling to escape worry or personal problems
• changes in sleeping or eating habits due to gambling
• committing illegal acts or considering these to finance gambling
• considering self-harm as a result of gambling.

Procedures  for self-exclusion and exclusion may involve:

• referral to a colleague, supervisor or manager according to scope of responsibility
• initiating exclusion processes when requested by customer
• referral to counsellors or support services.

Self -exclusion and exclusion  may relate to:

• customer identifying a problem with gambling and requesting to be barred from gaming or to have access limited (self-exclusion)
• venue exclusion
• third-party exclusion.

Signage and information  to be displayed may cover:

• chances of winning and probability
• problem gambling
• self-exclusion and exclusion
• available counselling services
• house policy
• industry code of conduct for responsible gambling services
• venue code of conduct
• responsible gambling initiatives.

Sector 

Hospitality

Competency field 

Gaming