SkyCity
Responsible
Gambling
WE VOLUNTARILY EXCEED WHAT IS REQUIRED OF US ON A NUMBER OF FRONTS. WE HAVE MADE EXCELLENT PROGRESS IN DEMONSTRATING JUST HOW SERIOUSLY WE TAKE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
Responsible Gambling
We take our responsibilities as a host very seriously and each of our properties has a robust Host Responsibility Programme in place. Our commitment in this space reflects our international operations with the highest standards applied to safeguard each of our communities.
Gambling can be a fun and enjoyable entertainment activity. However, it can also have harmful effects on some individuals, their families, and their communities. Our challenge is therefore to ensure that our business provides entertaining and profitable, yet safe and responsible, experiences and environments.
Maintaining Leading and Best Practice Host Responsibility:
We are immensely proud of the culture of care we have developed within our casinos and continue to focus on ways to ensure that this culture of care is maintained and that we have the highest standard of host responsibility best practice. Over the past financial year, we implemented additional host responsibility measures to improve our ability to prevent and minimise harm from problem gambling, including:
- Adapting and enhancing our facial recognition technology at the SkyCity Auckland and SkyCity Hamilton properties to monitor continuous play periods. The alerts generated by this system are actioned by a team of Responsible Gambling Hosts;
- Updating the predictive algorithm at the SkyCity Auckland property to include the latest customer survey data specific to that property;
- proactively working with the Department of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Health on the review of SkyCity’s New Zealand Host Responsibility Programmes;
- Opening a new resource room at the SkyCity Auckland property – the purpose of which is to provide patrons with a quiet break area away from the gaming floor where information is available on gaming rules, counselling services and responsible gambling tools; and
- Trialling the use of facial recognition technology to monitor repeat withdrawals and multiple declined transactions at certain ATMs located at the SkyCity Auckland property for indicators of problem gambling. We are progressing the rollout of this technology at the SkyCity Auckland and SkyCity Hamilton properties initially.
A robust Host Responsibility Programme is in place at each of our physical sites, and within SkyCity Online Casino, to prevent and minimise harm from problem gambling. All SkyCity staff receive training in host responsibility awareness. A dedicated team of experienced host responsibility specialists are employed at each of SkyCity’s land-based casinos and, through our partnership with GiG, an experienced harm minimisation team is in place for SkyCity Online Casino.
In a dynamic casino environment, maintaining effectiveness, relevancy, and consistency in harm minimisation best practice is an ongoing challenge. In response to that challenge, SkyCity continues to explore available technology solutions, seek expert advice, consult stakeholder groups, and source a range of research material.
Responsible Gambling
Auckland
SkyCity Auckland Host Responsibility
Signs and Symptoms
SkyCity is committed to promoting responsible gaming behaviour.
SkyCity promotes a range of tools in order to facilitate responsible gambling – however, exclusion is an equally important host responsibility offering for those who may be vulnerable to problem gambling. Our casinos offer extensive information to customers about exclusion options and referral details to problem gambling support services, including gambling helplines and face-to-face counselling organisations.
In New Zealand, customers can choose to exclude themselves from all SkyCity casinos in New Zealand for a period of up to two years. In some cases, SkyCity itself makes the decision to exclude a customer as a means to prevent risk of harm occurring, or as a means to stop further harm through a customer’s gambling at SkyCity’s casinos. In Adelaide, customers can also choose to exclude themselves from the SkyCity Adelaide casino and, in some cases, SkyCity itself or the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner makes the decision to exclude a customer – all exclusions are referred to Consumer and Business Services (the South Australian Gaming regulator).
In 2022, we introduced a dedicated team of Responsible Gambling Hosts in Auckland and Hamilton whose focus is to proactively monitor and interact with uncarded players, action long play alerts for carded and uncarded players, action long stay alerts, and act as a source of host responsibility information for all customers. With the size of our customer base and premises, it can be a challenge to identify individuals immediately and, despite our best efforts and measures (including new technologies), some individuals may nonetheless find ways to elude staff and re-enter a SkyCity casino.
The signs and symptoms of problem gambling include:
- Gambling makes home life unhappy
- Feeling sad or unhappy after gambling
- Trying to win back losses
- Gambling to escape worry or trouble
- Changing sleeping or eating habits due to gambling
- Borrowing to finance gambling
- Considering committing or actually committing an illegal act to finance
- Considering harming yourself as a result of gambling
How Can We Help?
Each of our SkyCity casino websites provides specific information about how we help through our world-leading Host Responsibility Programmes. To get effective support in your local community, see your local casino’s website.
