The small Australian island state of Tasmania has finally made the daring move to allow online gambling web sites to establish themselves on their island. Such an action will hopefully work positively for them by attracting a noteworthy job base. It is also of note that they have been pro-active in making available support those in need, for those who may have trouble keeping within their gambling limits.

Lin Thorp, the Tasmanian Minister for Human Services, has just announced of the capital city of Hobart, the new 'Gambling Help Online' program. In so doing he called upon all of the various States and Territories to become a part of the national launch of this online gambling counseling and support service, the first in the world.

According to Minister Thorp, this new service is designed to provide Tasmanians, or at least those who suffer with issues relating to problem gambling, the opportunity to get online help if they themselves are otherwise unable to or are too reluctant to do so in person. This new serves is an initiative of the Ministerial Council on Gambling. It is being provided following extensive research. With the label of Gambling Help Online, it is the first of its type to make available 24 here a day 7 days a week live chat capabilities that is also confidential. Other options available include email counseling and other various support services. The counselors being made available online are professional counselors, each of whom possesses expertise in areas of problem gambling. In addition, there will be available an option that allows the problem online gambler to seek assistance anonymously. Such individuals are also being given the option of registering with the service which will maintain a record of all online discussions. The support site contains and includes Web links to content of an educational and self help nature which can be easily accessed.

Minister Lin Thorp says that in this day and age we are living in an online world. He says that the Internet counseling service for online gambling addiction is an extraordinary new resource that will act to complement the range of other existing services that are already available as a response to problem gambling issues. Minister Thorp views this online site and the self assessment tools that are being made available as being based on research with respect to the common signs and to the consequences of problem gambling. Acknowledging the fact that for some it is hard to know where to start, she states that the online assessment tools being made available are a very positive initial step. She adds that such a safe and confidential as well as non-threatening environment as is being made available through this site is indeed a good place to begin talking. She says that the new website will be able to straighten out some of those issues that are often confusing. It is her belief, she added that any at helping is the area of need, is usually much appreciated by those in need.

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