Essendon Football Club and the Victorian Government through the Department of Justice have this week formally announced an innovative community partnership aimed at the prevention of Problem Gambling.

The $600,000 deal over the next two years will see Essendon Football Club promote key messages through regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne.

""Gambling is a popular, legal past time and, for the majority of Victorians, it’s an enjoyable form of entertainment. This partnership initiative is part of our intervention and preventative approach to problem gambling,"" the Minister for Gaming John Pandazopoulos said.

This partnership with Essendon is part of a wider strategy that sees Victoria become the first state in Australia to launch a state-wide partnership with the gambling industry and community groups to promote responsible gambling.

Essendon chief executive Peter Jackson said the club was thrilled to enter into the partnership and that it did so understanding the importance of the message it was sending.

""Gambling is a legitimate leisure activity but it can become a problem for some people. I’m certain that with the resources and reach we have that we can deliver the responsible gambling message effectively,"" Jackson said.

The partnership involves the Bracks Government, the Interchurch Gambling Taskforce, Gambler’s Help Services, the Salvation Army, Tabcorp, Tattersall’s, ClubsVIC, Crown Ltd, the Australian Hotels Association Victoria and the Victorian Local Governance Association.

""The partners (in this program) want to encourage people who gamble to do so responsibly by staying in control so they protect themselves, families, friends and community from the potential risks,"" Mr Pandazopoulos said.

Mr Pandazopoulos said the next phase of Government’s ""Think of what you’re really gambling with"" education campaign is now underway.

The $2 million, 11 week television, radio, print and outdoor campaign aims to reinforce the responsible gambling message, raise community understanding and promote the assistance available for gamblers, families and friends.

Mr Pandazopoulos said the partnerships with Essendon and the Western Bulldogs football clubs are designed to strengthen the reach and impact of responsible gambling messages and raise awareness of possible risks.

""Essendon will become a leading advocate for responsible gambling, encouraging people to understand the associated risks. They will target young people, club members, supporters and the wider community through community forums on responsible gambling in Melbourne and regional Victoria,"" he said.

The Minister also announced that Government would work with the clubs, through these partnerships, to develop ""in venue"" patron care support arrangements and had offered further support to the industry in better helping gambling patrons showing signs of distress.

Mr Pandazopoulos said the Bracks Government has undertaken the most extensive gambling reforms in Australia to promote responsible gambling and address problem gambling.

Some of the changes include introducing caps on gaming machines in vulnerable areas, eliminating 24-hour gaming venues outside the casino, banning smoking in gaming machine areas, limiting access to cash via ATMs, places clocks on gaming machines, improving lighting in gaming venues, restricting gaming venue signage and banning gaming machine advertising.

""In 2000, there were 133 gaming venues licensed to operate 24 hours a day - today, there are no such venues outside the Casino,"" he said.

""The problem gambling prevalence rate has halved while this Government has been in power and a greater proportion of problem gamblers are accessing counsellors.

""We have done more to provide problem gambling services and community education than any other State or Territory Government and, since coming into office, have committed over $111 million in problem gambling programs.""