A team of Bermudians attended an international conference on problem gaming as the island moves closer to its first casino.

Along with the Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission’s problem and responsible gaming director Roger Trott and commissioner Judith Hall Bean, representatives from four local treatment providers took part in the four-day conference in Portland, Oregon.

Mr Trott said: “It was an amazing experience, one that has equipped us with knowledge and tools to better protect Bermuda from the risks associated with problem gambling.

“During the conference we were able to establish international connections and build a new network of support for the island going forward.

“People were more than willing to share their knowledge and expertise and one consistent comment we received from those we met was how wonderful it is for Bermuda to be safeguarding itself on the front end before the first casinos are even introduced.”

While he said these efforts are often considered as a reactive measure, it is better for the community to establish a network to deal with issues before they can arise.

In addition to taking part in numerous workshops, local clinicians were able to receive Continuing Education Certificates which can be applied towards their Level 1 International Certified Gaming Counsellor certification.

According to Mr Trott the goal is to have at least one certified Level 1 Counsellor at each treatment facility on the island by the time the first casino opens its doors.

Meanwhile, formal meetings were held with Keith Whyte of the National Conference on Problem Gaming, Deborah Haskins, director of counselling programmes at Trinity Washington University and Lori Rugle of the International Gambling Counsellor Certification Board to assist with planning Bermuda’s training programmes.

“We are in the early stages of working towards a national strategic plan for responsible and problem gaming,” Mr Trott said. “Key international professionals are providing technical support in its development.

“We also look forward to getting feedback from the various Bermudian stakeholders in the near future through a series of town hall style meetings.”

Meanwhile Ernest Peets, a clinician who attended the conference representing Pathways Bermuda, said the event was an “amazing opportunity” to expand his knowledge and obtain specific training on gambling addiction.

“The training and information provided by the panel experts was first class,” said Dr Peets, a Progressive Labour Party candidate at this month’s General Election.

“We are very fortunate that the BCGC has positioned itself at the forefront of the casino and gaming industry.

“The BCGC has carefully considered the relevant issues regarding regulation, prevention and treatment that are necessary for any jurisdiction considering entering the gaming arena; because of this, I believe the BCGC is a necessary entity to assist Bermuda’s interest in implementing the right framework for casino gaming in Bermuda.”

A gaming commission spokeswoman said that the conference also assisted in the development of a framework for Bermuda’s problem and responsible gaming programmes.

“The BCGC is currently looking at cutting edge casino software which has the ability to log players out of certain games once they reach their set limit and other geo-location software that presents non-intrusive responsible gaming ads when a person is in the vicinity of an integrated resort casino,” she said.

“A self-exclusion list is also on the cards for those concerned with an active or potential problem gambling issue to voluntarily sign themselves up for.”