Nassau, NP 5th July 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Bahamas Gaming Operators Association (BGOA), announces its partnership with Grand Bahama Health Services, to increase capacity building in the area of Gambling disorder treatment.
The Bahamas Gaming Operators Association (BGOA), is pleased to partner with the Grand Bahama Health Services (GBHS), as part of our extended partnership with the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) and the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre – Nassau, to support the increase in building capacity, in the area of gambling disorder.
We are, therefore, delighted to highlight this immensely important partnership with GBHS, similarly to what we did with Sandilands Rehabilitation Center in Nassau, back in May of last year, to help screen, assess and treat persons who may be most at risk in engaging in this form of entertainment. More importantly, however, to prevent persons from becoming at risk and like any other endeavor of leisure, to do so in moderation.
We are pleased to provide funding support in the amount of $7,500, to up-skill two professional clinicians from GBHS, to become internationally certified in the area of treating persons with a gambling disorder. The course will be done through the University of Minnesota Duluth Centre for Economic Development and North American Training Institute (NATI). The online courses are 60-hours, with supplemental on- campus workshop visitations.
This initiative is fully aligned to the domestic gaming industry’s robust responsible gaming policy, whose programs are now standardized across all operator members. The industry continues to work with our key industry partner stakeholders, like GBHS. Additionally, the BGOA recognizes that in a highly regulated environment, and in keeping with international best practices, it was obliged to ensure a safety net was not only put in place but broaden to help those patrons, who may require professional intervention, at no cost to them. We have also increased our awareness and educational campaign regarding encouraging persons to game responsibly and to prevent individuals from becoming at risk, when engaging in this form of entertainment.
The BGOA has held several Responsible Gaming Town Hall Meetings and Addiction Awareness Symposiums across several major family islands. We plan to extend this national conversation in the coming weeks and months ahead to Eleuthera, Long Island, Andros, San Salvador and of course East and West End of Grand Bahama, before the end of 2019.
We have already established a one-on-one counseling and group support service in Nassau, at our office and will be seeking to do the same here in Grand Bahama, as a result of this most important partnership. Finally, we will be expanding our safety net to include the Church community and representatives from the Department of Social Services.
Bahamas Gaming Operators Association (BGOA) is a non-profit organization that represents the majority of the approved licensees of the domestic gaming industry. Its objectives are to promote awareness and education of the industry and advocate for fair and equitable public policy, regulation and legislation, based on factual data and research. The Association exists to ensure the continued innovation and sustainability of the domestic gaming industry for the benefit of all of its stakeholders. It will also consistently promote responsible gaming, as part of its broader community building initiatives and overall contribution to the economy of The Bahamas.
For more information contact: Ms. Krista Gilbert @ 603-2083 (office) or 808-9509 (helpline), e-mail: kgilbert@bghoa.org