In New Zealand, local politicians are concerned about rising problem gambling rates.MP Te Ururoa Flavell has proposed a number of harm reduction strategies that would aim to cause a decline in problem gambling rates. Although his Harm Reduction Bill has yet to be passed, gambling spending is already on the decline. A recent report has…
Author Archives: Jane
Greens Fight for $1 Pokie Limit in Tasmania
The Greens continue their fight for $1 pokie limits, and wish to trial the technology. The political party has recently decided that Tasmania would be the ideal location in which to test the implementation of $1 betting limits for poker machines. When the idea of pokie reform was first introduced, The Greens fought to convince…
Do Gambling Loyalty Cards Encourage Problem Gambling?
As the federal government prepares to roll out voluntary pre-commitment technology, researchers are hoping to get to the bottom of the growing issue of problem gambling. A new study will examine the effects, if any, that loyalty programs have on problem gambling rates across the country. As voluntary pre-commitment is rolled out, players who wish…
Ballarat Wants to Reduce Pokie Cap
Ballarat Councillor Joshua Morris has put forth a motion to reduce the poker machine cap in the city. The motion comes shortly after the council suggested permitting pokie venues in the business district. Last week, the Ballarat City Council recommended that poker machine venues should be allowed to exist within the Central Business District. The…
Criticism for Ballarat’s New Pokies Plan
The Ballarat City Council is currently in the process of introducing new pokies into the city centre. Council members feel that bringing new pokies into the central business district will help to reduce problem gambling rates in the city. However, responsible gambling advocates are not convinced that this is the best course of action. According…
New Plymouth Wants to Introduce Pokie Cap
Earlier this year, pokie reform was legislation was passed in order to reduce problem gambling rates by introducing voluntary pre-commitment on a national level. In New Zealand, individual states and communities are looking to impose pokie caps to reduce the level of problem gambling locally. This week, the Problem Gambling Foundation has issued a call-to-action…
Whangarei Upholds Sinking Lid Policy
At the end of March, the Whangarei District Council met to discuss its Class 4 Gaming bylaws. The council was wanted to determine whether or not it would uphold the local sinking lid policy on poker machines. The issue was heavily debated at the meeting, but the council finally decided that the best course of…
Will Whangarei Maintain Its Sinking Lid Policy?
Today, Whangarei District Council will meet to discuss its Class 4 Gambling Bylaws. One of the important issues that is up for discussion is whether or not to maintain its sinking lid policy on pokies – and responsible gambling groups are urging council members to continue reducing the number of poker machines in the area….
Microgaming Renews eCOGRA Seal of Approval
Online pokie developer Microgaming is well-known not only for its high-quality games but also for its dedication to fair gaming practices. The company was a key player in the development of eCOGRA (eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance), and now the organization had deemed Microgaming to be compliant with EGBA (European Gaming and Betting Association)…
Australian Players Spend Millions on Online Pokies
Although the Australian government has refused to regulate online casinos, Australian residents have been quick to jump on the online gambling bandwagon. According to a new report by Roy Morgan, Australians have spent over $1 billion at online betting and online casino websites. It seems that local punters are redirecting their gambling spending. While land-based…