16 March 2020
To: Australian State and Federal Health & Gambling Ministers
Dear Minister,
We write as public health researchers with an interest in public health and addictive
behaviours.
In the current situation, with likely community transmission of COVID-19 beginning
shortly (if not already underway), it is important that any high-risk vectors for
transmission be controlled. In our view, casinos and other gambling venues
operating electronic gambling machines (EGMs) are highly risky environments for
the transmission of COVID-19.
Precautionary measures related to EGMs have already been taken in other
countries. For example, Finland has closed all EGMs as well as Helsinki Casino until
at least the end of March, citing that human health is a priority and that every effort
should be taken to prevent the virus from spreading.
You will appreciate that the EGM venue environment involves repetitive tapping of
buttons or use of touch screens in a public environment where cleaning between
successive users is difficult if not impossible.
We know that the virus that causes COVID-19 survives on surfaces for some time,
certainly long enough for the disease to be transmitted to multiple subsequent users.
It would be extremely difficult to ensure that these are cleaned between users (who
typically move from machine to machine regularly and often rapidly). Note also that
many users remain in venues for extended periods, often in excess of two hours,
and that EGMs are usually located in close proximity to each other, certainly closer
than a metre in most cases. The environmental conditions within EGM venues is
thus highly likely to be conducive to ready transmission of the COVID-19 virus.
EGM venues in Australia are ubiquitous, utilised by many older people (who are at
much heightened risk of serious illness and death), and unfortunately frequented by
many people who, because of addiction or habituation, may often be unable to
exercise rational decision-making, and avoid these venues.
Accordingly, it would be a responsible, important and effective measure to ensure
that EGM venues are closed as soon as possible to reduce the likelihood of
community transmission of COVID-19.
Although closure of all EGM venues is to be preferred, closing large venues (i.e.,
those with 20 or more EGMs) should be the highest priority. Such venues are more
frequented, have more intense patterns of utilisation, and are more difficult to
monitor and clean.
Recognising the important and proactive precautionary public health measures that
the Australian and State Governments have implemented to date, we hope that you
will take this opportunity to extend these measures to EGMs.
Yours sincerely,
Prof. Peter Miller
Deakin University
Emeritus Prof. Simon Chapman
University of Sydney
Prof. Murat Yucel
Monash University
Emeritus Prof. Mike Daube
Curtin University
Prof. Fran Baume
Flinders University.
Prof. Kyp Kypri
University of Newcastle
Prof. Samantha Thomas
Deakin University
Assoc. Prof. Matt Browne
Central Queensland University
Assoc. Prof. Charles Livingstone
Monash University
Dr Francis Markham
Australian National University
Dr Matt Stevens
Menzies School of Health Research