Ever since the state of Victoria started passing laws that encourage responsible gambling, pokies spending has declined. Victoria’s ATM and pokie headphone ban have affected all municipalities in the state, and Central Victoria has noted a vast decline in spending over the 2012-2013 financial year. According to reports, pokie and gambling venues across Central Victoria saw $1.1 million less in player losses.
This is the first time in years that pokie spending has declined over the course of one year. Should the trend continue over the course of the next few years, the area will experience an $88 million decline in pokie spending. Eric Pascoe, Bendigo Stadium’s chief executive officer, attributed the decline in spending to Victoria’s ATM ban, which prohibits all pokie clubs in the state from providing players with cash machines.
The move was controversial, but it has been proven to be quite effective. The ATM ban stops individuals from digging deeper into their pockets when they have exhausted their pokie budgets for the night. Many players find themselves in financial trouble after chasing losses, and the ATM ban prevents this from happening. Rather than withdrawing more cash to spend, players simply head home.
Responsible gambling advocates were also concerned that the ATM ban would encourage players to use EFTPOS systems to withdraw cash. This was a major concern, as this banking system does not limit how much money a player can withdraw, so it was believed that problem gamblers would have more opportunities to spend money. Fortunately, there is no cause for concern with regards to Victoria’s ATM ban.
The new law ensures that playing pokies remains a fun activity and that players do not lose more money than they can afford to part with. The decline in spending sets a positive example for the rest of the country, as federal politicians aim to impose withdrawal limits on ATMs in pokie venues across Australia.
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