On July 25th, those in opposition of the proposed reforms on pokie machines gathered to voice their dismay at the initiative. Over 200 people showed up at the South Sydney Juniors Rugby League Club to protest the possible changes to pokie machines that would require players to pre-commit to spending a particular amount of money before playing.

Peter Newell from Clubs Australia spoke at the rally, stating that he is in support of a reform that aims to help problem gamblers in particular. He does not believe that imposing restrictions on all pokies players will do anything to hinder the development and fostering of gambling addictions in Australians. He went on to say that he does not want Rugby clubs to benefit from gambling revenues contributed by those with gambling addictions.

Rather, he hopes that the government can think up an alternative reform to curb the rates of problem gambling in the country, so that sports funding can come from legitimate sources instead of the money that is spent on poker machines by addicted gamblers. Many clubs across Australia have already implemented voluntary precommitment, and Rugby clubs support the initiative.

However, they are opposed to the implementation of mandatory precommitment, as it takes away a person's freedom to choose.

About the Author

George Anderson
Author George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.