For years, responsible gambling advocates have been fighting to impose pre-commitment on poker machines across the country. Now, the state of Victoria is taking the matter into its own hands by launching its own local pre-commitment scheme called YourPlay. The new YourPlay pre-commitment program will allow players to track their betting whenever they wager on electronic gaming machines.
It is a personal gaming tracker that keeps players updated with the amount of money and time that they are spending playing pokies. Players can check up on their spending every week, month and year. Annual statements are also available. Players can also enter limits, and the program will notify them when they have reached 70% and 90%. There is even the option to customise a reminder message.
When players have reached their limit, they will be asked if they want to continue playing. The YourPlay service is added to your own existing venue card. So, you do not need to obtain a separate card to use their service. You don’t even have to have a loyalty card in order to access this service. This is the first pre-commitment scheme that has ever been launched in Australia. It is hoped that other states will take note and follow suit.
At the moment, it is too early to tell how effective YourPlay is at curbing problem gambling rates, but it is hoped that the tool will provide players with the opportunity to take control over their gambling spending in order to adopt more responsible gambling habits over time. To register, visit the YourPlay website.
Whether you want to keep track of your pokie spending or actually want to limit the amount of time and money you spend on playing pokies, this tool is certainly worth a try.