FAQs
Why do I need an appointment for barring?
What happens at a directions hearing?
What should I bring to an appointment?
What is the non-revocation period?
Why can’t a venue bar me for longer than 3 months?
What if I can’t get into Adelaide for an appointment?
Do I have to come in every time I want more barrings?
What if my driver's licence has expired?
What if I live in the country?
I am anxious. Am I able to bring a friend?
What happens if I breach my orders?
Why can't I be barred statewide?
What is "third party" barring?
How can I take my barrings off?
What else can I do to get help with my gambling?
How can I find out what I am barred from?
What happens at a barring interview?
There is no charge associated with applying for barring, either for yourself (voluntary) or for a family member or friend (third party). Similarly, there is no charge for gambling help services or the use of the helpline (1800 858 858).
Why do I need an appointment for barring?
The Authority's policy is that allpeople going through the barring process should be intervewed by a senior staff member, to have the process explained and to ensure that they fully understand what they are getting into, how barring can help and what its limitations are. An interview also serves the purpose of establishing identity and allowing the Authority to obtain a photograph for distribution to venues (to aid in identifying barred people in venue).
The Authority has a team of specialist interviewers, who will take you through a standard interview protocol to ensure that you get the best result from your barring. The process is sensitive to your needs and, of course, completely confidential.
Interviews take place at the Authority's Grenfell Street office. For people who live in regional areas and cannot easily get to Adelaide, the interview can be done by telephone. (In regional areas, the local gambling help service will facilitate the identification and the photo process if the barred person wishes).
The interviews are recorded for training and quality purposes.
What happens at a directions hearing?
Directions hearings are part of the involuntary barring process, in relation to the review the Authority conducts. They are done by telephone and every effort is made to have the relevant gambling provider, the barred person and any third parties involved. The delegate copnducting the directions hearing asks for each person to explain "in 25 words or less" how the barring order came to be made. Then the delegate asks everyone, in turn, what they think should happen. If there is general agreement, the matter can be resolved by consent. Otherwise, the matter is set down for a determinative hearing before a member of the Authority.
What should I bring to an appointment?
Please bring some photo-identification (a driver's licence is very good), your spectacles and a list of gambling activities you wish to be barred from. If you cannot make a list, at least think about where you want to be barred.
If you do not have photo identification, a rates notice, or bank statement will be fine.
What is the non-revocation period?
The Authority can, and usually does, impose a 6 month non-revocation period on voluntary barrings. That means that, once the orders are made, they must stay in place for at least 6 months. After the 6 months, the orders stay in force for another 2½ years but can be revoked at your request.
Why can’t a venue bar me for longer than 3 months?
People rarely have a gambling problem at one place only (especially if they are gaming machine players), which is why the Part 4 scheme (and the section 15B scheme which preceded it) allow for the Authority to bar a person from multiple venues. So the policy behind the changes included everyone having contact with the Authority.
The 3 month venue barring is intended to allow a person to immediately obtain the support of barring, during which time the Authority will make contact to offer barrings from more places and possibly more types of gambling.
Of course, individual venues do a great job in offering barring (and sometimes in barring a person who does not yet think he or she has a problem) but a system which relied only on individual venues would mean that people slip through the cracks. That is why the system is set up the way it is.
What if I can’t get into Adelaide for an appointment?
People who live outside Adelaide can do their barring interiews by telephone. The gambling help services in regional areas will provide support in the process by providing a room, a support person, and an explanation of what to expect, as well as handling the taking of a photograph and the sending in of the paperwork.
Do I have to come in every time I want more barrings?
No, you don't. The Authority only really needs to see barred people once every 3 years (if only to update the photogtraph) and between times, additional barring orders can be requested by mail or email. You can choose to download the VBA form and send that in, but the Authority will rely on any sort of note if it is reasonable to think it came from you. (You will need to include your full name, current address and birthdate, and if it is on paper—scanned or an original—your signature.)
What if my driver's licence has expired?
A current driver's licence is the best form of identification, but the Authority can use an expired photo-licence if, on a common sense basis, it provides enough assurance that you are who you say you are
What if I live in the country?
People who live outside Adelaide can do their barring interiews by telephone. The gambling help services in regional areas will provide support in the process by providing a room, a support person, and an explanation of what to expect, as well as handling the taking of a photograph and the sending in of the paperwork.
I am anxious. Am I able to bring a friend?
You are welcome to bring a friend or family member for support, and you can even come with your counsellor. The only rider to this is that the support person has to let you answer the questions in the interview as, with voluntary barrings, the interviewer needs to be sure that you really want the barrings.
What happens if I breach my orders?
It is an offence to breach a barring order and it is possible that a person breaching will be prosecuted and fined up to $2500. However, if you breach and are caught in venue, the agreed arrangements between the Authority and the licensees are that the breach will be reported and that the Authority will make contact with you if the breaching is serious or repeated.
Why can't I be barred statewide?
There are several reasons for requiring a person to have some sort of relationship with the places from which he or she is barred. The main one relates to the compliance arranged for enforcement of barring orders. At present, the only way of enforcing barring orders is for gambling staff to notice that a barred person is present, and they do that from small colour photographs or images on the barring system. Already many gambling providers are dealing with between one and two hundred images. If everyone were barred statewide, they would be dealing with upwards of 1500 and there would be no prospect of individuals being picked up in venue.
What is "third party" barring?
Part 4 talks about two sorts of barring—where the barred person requests it (voluntary) and where the gambling provider or the Authority decided that, even though the barring has not been requested, the barring order is necessary and appropriate to protect the person's welfare or that of dependent family members (involuntary). Third party barring is the involuntary barring that is initiated by a family member or a friend.
Absolutely.
The existence of a barring order is, by law, confidential and may only be communicated to the extent required to allow it to be enforced. It is actually an offence to breach that confientiality, both for Authority staff and for gambling staff.
How can I take my barrings off?
If the orders are voluntary and the 6 month non-revocation period is over, you come in for an interview. The general principle is "voluntary-in, voluntary-out", but the delegate still needs to be satisfied that revocation is a good idea.
If the orders are involuntary, a directions hearing will be held (and might be followed by a determinative hearing).
What else can I do to get help with my gamblng?
Call the gambling helpline on 1800 858 858 to find out about support services or visit www.problemgambling.sa.gov.au online.
How can I find out what I am barred from?
Unless you ask not to be told about your barrings, you will receive a decision letter lising all of the orders. If you cannot find that letter, you can call the office (on 8226 7233) and ask. You will be asked some identity questions (to make sure it is you) and then the information will be provided.
What happens at a barring interview?
When you arrive at the office, you will be asked for your identification and given a form to check through. Then the interviewer will come out and invite you into a nice quiet room for the conversation. The interviewer will advise that the interview is to be recorded (for training and quality purposes). You will be shown a sample barring notice and have the scheme explained, and then you will be asked a standard set of questions designed to let us know enough about you to make the barring decision and to help both you and us work out what barring orders should be made. Every interview is different, and some people need no help with the orders. Others like to look at maps and lists of venues and so on.
Once the questions are done, you will be photographed and then the interviewer will leave you alone briefly to complete your part of the paperwork. You will have the three day cooling off period explained and be given a note explaining what to expect next (which is a letter within the following 7 days).