For years, responsible gambling advocates have been pushing for pokie reform across Australia. Now, they are one step closer to their goal, as the state of Victoria is now trialling pokie bet limits at clubs in Footscray, Newport and Altona. According to a report in the Herald Sun, pokie pre-commitment will be trialled at 14 clubs across Victoria.

100 volunteers will be given a card, which will allow them to set limits for the amount of time and money that they spend while playing poker machines. The trial will begin later this month, and it will be rolled out at more venues across the state. It will be interesting to see the results of the trial, as it has the potential to encourage players to make more informed decisions about their gambling spending.

While this a major step forward for pokie reform, some responsible gambling advocates remain sceptical. For example, Dr Charles Livingstone of Monash University is dubious as to whether or not pre-commitment will actually help to curb problem gambling rates and help those who need assistance the most.

“The problem is the pre-commitment scheme being rolled out is voluntary, which means you can use the machines without using the system,’’ he says. “There have been trials in Australia before, in Queensland and South Australia, which showed the take up rates are very small. It is a step forward but as a system that minimises harm it is at the bottom end of the scale.’’

Dr Livingstone advocates for a $1 betting limit for all players. There would be no choice in the matter, and all players would be required to limit their spending to $1 per bet. This idea has received a great deal of support from parties like The Greens; however, Victorian politicians are keen to try pre-commitment first.

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.