The findings of a survey released yesterday by the Sheng Kung Hui (SKH) Macau Social Services Centre shows that about half of the respondents were emotionally disturbed by their family members’ gambling problems, and almost half of the respondents said they did not seek help for fear of being “stigmatised”.
Representatives of the organisation presented the findings of the survey at a press conference at its Gambling Counselling and Family Wellness Centre in the peninsula’s Lam Mau Tong district.
Sheng Kung Hui is the Cantonese name for the Anglican Church.
According to a statement provided by the non-governmental organisation yesterday, the survey, which was conducted through online questionnaires and by telephone from July to October last year, aimed to draw the community’s attention to the impact of gambling disorders on their family members as well as to help those affected cope with their psychological stress and financial crisis.
A total of 124 family members of problem gamblers were successfully asked during the survey period.
According to the survey’s results, more than 60 percent of the respondents had helped gambling-addicted family members pay off their debts, while more than 50 percent of the respondents had to bear all household expenses.
The SKH said that it will launch a new service that sets up an online counselling working group to help the participants acquire financial literacy to cope with their debts.
According to the findings, most of the respondents had a good understanding of gambling disorders, but they were influenced by traditional values, which generated myths about how to deal with gambling problems in their family. For example, according to the findings, more than 40 percent of the respondents believed that they should take responsibility of paying off their gambling-addicted family members’ debts, while 33 percent of the respondents thought that they should not “interfere with” their family members’ gambling behaviour for fear of damaging their relationship.
The SKH suggested strengthening educational campaigns on responsible gambling in the community. The organisation also encouraged affected family members to build up their support network.
In addition, the SKH said that it had received more than 22,000 requests for assistance in problem gambling issues on their telephone helpline and online platform between July 2014, when its gambling counselling service was launched, and last month, of which around 30 percent were from problem gamblers’ family members, the statement said.
Mini Lao Mei I (centre), who heads the Gambling Counselling and Family Wellness Centre of the Sheng Kung Hui (SKH) Macau Social Services Centre, addresses yesterday’s press conference as two representatives of the centre look on. Photo: Ginnie Liang
