Distressed gamblers usually get little help when they appeal to staff at B.C. casinos — often no more than a brochure and phone number to call for further assistance, according to B.C. Lottery Corp. documents obtained by CBC News.

'It would take an extreme case of distress before something is really done. It's not a proactive approach, it's a reactive approach.'—Sue Reid, a Surrey nurse

The documents show staff at casinos in the province often have to deal with gamblers who are angry, emotional and losing all their money. Some of these people go to casinos several times a day, while others make repeated trips to bank machines for more cash as they try to recover their losses.

There are even some gamblers who become so agitated and emotional that they wear adult diapers and even wet themselves, but keep playing.

Yet 85 per cent of casino employees surveyed in 2004 said they believe the gamblers themselves are responsible for seeking help for their problems, according to one of the corporation's internal documents.

Those casino employees do not feel it's their job to cut off problem gamblers, the survey suggested: their usual response is to provide a brochure and a phone number for those seeking help.

"It would take an extreme case of distress before something is really done. It's not a proactive approach, it's a reactive approach," said Sue Reid, a Surrey nurse who obtained the survey through a Freedom to Information request and supplied it to the CBC.

In 2004, Reid submitted the request for the material B.C. Lottery Corp. uses to train casino staff to deal with distressed gamblers.

Some gamblers become angry and emotional when they lose all their money.
(CBC)

The corporation initially refused to turn over documents it felt had commercial value. But in April 2007, after an appeal to the Information and Privacy Commissioner, Reid finally got a package with everything she had requested.

Reid said the documents seemed to confirm her fears that problem gamblers may not be getting the help they need.

"I'm disappointed that there isn't more in [the lottery corporation's material] that encourages employees to cut off gamblers when they're showing very serious signs of distress," she told CBC News.

Tamara Ibbott, a spokeswoman for the corporation, said it encourages staff to tell problem gamblers about its so-called self-exclusion program.

"We will help them stay out of gaming facilities for the period of time for which they have signed up."