It seems that Clubs Australia is not the only party that wants to extend the deadline for poker machine reform; some politicians have also adopted this stance. MP Craig Thomson has stated that he would like to adjust the new poker machine reform bill in order to give venues more time to comply with the regulations.
Currently, the bill requires all poker machine venues in the country to outfit their machines with voluntary pre-commitment technology by 2016. Smaller venues would be given more time to comply. To pay for the process, clubs will be required to pay a ‘supervision’ levy. Thomson would like to change this provision by giving all venues more time to comply with the new regulations.
He has not expressed any reason behind this potential amendment, but he seems to want to make the process of enforcing poker machine reform easier on gaming operators. Another reform provision requires all gaming clubs and casinos to place a $250 withdrawal limit on their ATMs. Thomson wants a one-year delay on this regulation, but has not expressed any reason for this.
Other political parties are outright opposed, as they fear it will encourage players to put themselves in danger when searching for an ATM that they can use in the middle of the night. Finally, the legislation will require all poker machines to be ‘mandatory pre-commitment ready'. This means that the machines should be able to be switched from voluntary to mandatory pre-commitment seamlessly.
Thomson would like to see this provision scrapped altogether. Thomson has arranged to meet with Families Minister Jenny Macklin. However, Macklin has announced that she has yet to receive any amendments from the MP himself. The new poker machine reform bill will be up for debate at some point this week.
We can expect a heated discussion, as there will be plenty of differing opinions on how best to regulate the reform and reduce problem gambling rates across Australia.
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