The pilot, run by Child and Family Services Ballarat, will provide businesses and organisations with resources to identify and respond to problem gambling. 

Problem gambling affects employees’ productivity, and in some cases Ballarat employees have defrauded their employer, CAFS Gambler’s Help community educator Tony Goodfellow said.

“In a workplace the harms can be tiredness, distraction, they might be at work placing bets,” he said.

“There’s absenteeism so people can go gamble and then it gets to fraud.”

The program also provides a template for employers to establish a workplace policy on gambling. 

“It’s showing that something can be done earlier on to stop that harm and basically it’s about creating supportive workplaces where people can get help and try to stop it getting worse down the track,” Mr Goodfellow said.

The project comes as both state and federal governments move to curb children’s exposure to sports bet advertising. 

Last week Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced a ban on gaming advertisements before 8.30pm. 

The ban, which will cover all sports broadcasts on TV and radio except racing, will start five minutes before kick-off and end five minutes after full time.

The ban extends to on-screen promotions, sponsorships and live crosses to betting companies during the matches.

Last year the state government proposed a ban on sports betting ads on public transport and near schools.

Salvation Army’s Craig Wood said the organisation welcomed the federal government’s new ban. Mr Wood said gambling was one of the major triggers for “financial dysfunction”. 

“We’ll often see families in particular where one of the parents will have a gambling addiction.

“Often this will be a secretive addiction and often it’s been a case where one of the partners has gone to pay rent and there’s just been no money in the account.”

However the federal government’s proposal also presented loopholes to the industry, University of Melbourne’s Nathan Grills said.

“I think it’s a really important step and I think it reflects the strong sentiment from the community to protect their children from saturation,” Dr Grills said.

“But there are lots of loop holes where kids are going to  be exposed during games and at the actual grounds as well. Other programs not included are current affairs shows, it’s often in peak viewing time for children so I think we need to be far more comprehensive.”

Ballarat businesses and organisations can contact  CAFS on 5337 3333, or attend the project launch on Tuesday, May 16 at 2pm at 115 Lydiard Street North. CAFS also offers financial counselling and gambler’s help services on 5337 3333.