Players at Australian casinos will now be able to make an unlimited number of withdrawals using the EFTPOS banking system – despite an ATM ban coming into effect in the new year. Anti-gambling activists are not pleased with the announcement and believe that it will cause the ATM ban to be ineffective. EFTPOS is a type of electronic funds transfer system.
It is only available at a venue’s point-of-sale, so patrons will have to see a cashier in order to make withdrawals. There is a $200 limit on EFTPOS transactions; however, there is no limit on the number of times a player can withdraw cash. The point of the ATM ban was to reduce players’ access to quick cash, in order to discourage them from chasing losses and falling into debt.
With the announcement of the new EFTPOS accessibility, anti-gambling activists believe that the ban has been undermined. While it is widely believed that the ban will now have little effect, it is likely that losses will decrease. Lining up for a cashier and having to make multiple withdrawals may be perceived as inconvenient, and a large portion of players will simply not withdraw any additional cash while at a casino.