Pokie reforms have been passed on a national level, which means that every poker machine in Australia will be required to install voluntary pre-commitment technology by the year 2018. However, Victoria will be ahead of the pack, aiming to outfit its poker machines with pre-commitment capability two years ahead of schedule.
When poker machine reform was first introduced to the Gillard government by MP Andrew Wilkie, the deadline was 2016. By this date, all poker machines would be required to impose self-set limits on players. Amendments to the reform pushed the deadline to 2018, but Victoria is dedicated to hitting the original goal.
“Victoria is leading the nation in gaming reform in Australia and we will not compromise on our policy to suit the ever-changing policy on the run of the Gillard Labor government,'' says Victoria Gaming Minister Michael O’Brien. The Victorian government has taken a harm reduction stance with regards to the local gambling market.
Over the course of the past year, politicians have enacted laws to reduce the potential harm that poker machines can cause. These include the banning of ATMs in pokie clubs and the use of headphones with poker machines. The ATM ban has caused a $62 million decline in gambling spending and state government officials anticipate that the headphone ban will have a similar effect.
Gillard’s federal poker machine reform also includes a limit on ATM withdrawals, so players across the country can only withdraw $250 from a cash machine in a pokies venue. This law will apply to all states, with the exception of those that enforce stricter laws. For example, in Victoria, where ATMs are banned altogether, the local law will take priority over the federal law.
It is a positive sign to see local state governments taking such an active role in the fight against gambling addiction. Rather than depending on pokies for tax revenue, Victorian politicians are willing to take the cut in order to reduce problem gambling rates across the state.
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