Earlier this month, Andrew Wilkie threatened to withdraw his support for the current government if pokie reform is not enacted by May 2012. Initially, Julia Gillard's government was unsure how to react, but now Labour MPs are stepping forward to address the issue.

Crime Minister Julia Gillard and Senator Mark Bishop have expressed to the press that Andrew Wilkie should retract his treat. Bishop states that the government has tried harder than it ever has previously to crack down on problem gambling by attempting to introduce pokie reform; he believes that Wilkie should be proud of the government for doing so, rather than threatening to withdraw his support.

The government has been making an effort to implement pokie reform, but it has been met with a great deal of hostility from sports clubs and gaming clubs. A multi-million dollar campaign has been launched by Clubs Australia opposing the reform, and even charities that are known to fight problem gambling have stated that they do not support mandatory precommitment.

As such, the government has had a difficult time in getting its point across and will continue to experience backlash from the community. The added pressure from Andrew Wilkie is certainly not helping things and the government is giving him the chance to take back his bitter threat.

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.