Across Australia, politicians are working hard to curb problem gambling rates. They want to impose betting limits on poker machines as well as caps on the number of poker machines permitted in various areas of the country. However, Canberra politicians have other plans, as the local Liberals have announced their plans to 'cut the red tape' for pokies venues in the area.

What this means is liberalizing the local pokies market. The Canberra Liberals feel that there are too many restrictions on poker machine clubs and their operators, preventing them from thriving in the local gambling market. They seek to rectify this by changing the way in which poker machines are limited in Canberra.

Currently, the limit on poker machines states that there can be no more than 5024 pokies in the capital at any one time. Regardless of the population or the number of gaming venues in Canberra, there can be no more than this pre-determined number. The Liberals' plan would change this 'flat cap' approach. The political party wants to take the opposite approach.

What this would mean is changing the cap to reflect the population of the city and its surrounding area. This would open more opportunities in Canberra, as it would allow more venues with gaming machines to open and operate. Unfortunately for the Liberals, not everyone feels this way.

Anti-gambling advocates believe that an expansion would lead to an increase in problem gambling rates, the opposite of what federal politicians have been working hard to avoid. “Expanding the number of poker machines within jurisdiction is associated with an increased rate of gambling expenditure and almost certainly with an increase in gambling derived harm,” says Dr. Charles Livingstone, professor at Monash University.

So, The Liberals are sure to butt heads with other politicians across the country. Senator Nick Xenophon and MP Andrew Wilkie are likely to be especially incensed upon hearing about the plans to expand Canberra's gambling market.

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.