International line-up at the Gambling Conference

International line-up at the 6th International Gambling Conference

An impressive line-up of international and local speakers will feature at the 6th International Gambling Conference, being held at the Sir Paul Reeves Building at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT), from 10 to 12 February.

The Conference, themed Preventing harm in a shifting gambling environment: challenges, policies and strategies, will include inspiring keynote speakers and a range of presentations on the latest developments in treatment, public health, research, and regulation.
The keynote line-up includes Associate Professor Darrel Manitowabi from Laurentian University in Canada; Professor Stacey Tovino, School of Law at the University of Nevada, USA; Professor Nerilee Hing, Southern Cross University, Australia; and Dr. Barry Duncan, Director of the Heart and Soul of Change Project and developer of the clinical process, Partners for Change Outcome Management System or PCOMS.

Professor Manitowabi’s keynote address, entitled The meaning of Indigenous casinos, will focus on the social, economic and political context and impacts of casinos for Indigenous peoples.

Professor Tovino will examine the ways in which individuals with gambling disorders are treated in a variety of legal contexts in the United States in comparison to other mental health issues.

Professor Hing’s keynote will address the stigma associated with problem gambling, with a particular focus on an Australian study that was the first and largest of its kind conducted on problem gambling and stigma in the world.

Dr. Duncan’s address, entitled Getting better at what we do: the heart and soul of change, will examine how client feedback can increase positive outcomes based on the clinical process PCOMS; particularly relevant to New Zealand healthcare with the current emphasis on outcome measurement and management.

An Indigenous Pre-Conference day hosted by Hapai Te Hauora Tapui Maori Public Health, is being held on 9 February at the AUT Marae, aiming to challenge attendees to think about the ways in which they work, prioritise and engage with communities in a political and social environment that is constantly changing. It will explore New Zealand's very first international Indigenous charter on problem gambling that was developed in 2010 during the international Indigenous symposium on problem gambling held at Ohinemutu Marae, Rotorua.

Following the conference an International Gambling Think Tank being held at the AUT City Campus on 15 and 16 February, will review progress on current collaborative projects and identify new initiatives to expand knowledge and advance gambling policy and practice.

This biennial conference is a well-established international event which in 2014 attracted over 240 delegates from 14 countries as far afield as Scandinavia and this year promises to be no exception.

The 6th International Gambling Conference is hosted by the Gambling and Addictions Research Centre at AUT University, and the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand.

For more information on the conference and to view the complete programme please visit:
http://www.internationalgamblingconference.com/

ENDS

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