Over the course of the past two years, Victorian politicians have worked hard to draw up harm minimisation measures for poker machines. They have decided to impose a ban on ATMs in pokie clubs as well as the use of headphones while playing poker machines. For the past year, these measures have been effective in curbing gambling spending – but it seems as though their effectiveness could be wearing off.

According to the Australian Financial Review, Victoria’s pokie losses increased from July 2013 to August 2013 by 6%. Prior to this, pokie spending in the state had been on a steady decline. Six months after the ATM ban had been imposed, punters in the state found that there were spending 7% less on pokies. Overall, pokie spending had declined by $184 million from the previous year, and local politicians were pleased with the results.

Now, they are wondering if more needs to be done in order to continue curbing gambling spending the Victoria. Recently, problem gamblers have come forward to voice their concerns about EFTPOS withdrawals, the local government is considering banning players from using the system to take out cash in order to play pokies.

When the ATM ban was enacted, EFTPOS withdrawals were still permitted. A limit of $200 was placed on each withdrawal, but players are still permitted to make as many withdrawals as they like over the course of a night. While most pokie players would forgo this option, some problem gamblers are likely to take advantage of it.

Should gambling spending continue to increase, it may be time for Victorian politicians to consider placing restrictions on EFTPOS withdrawals. At the moment, it is too soon to tell whether or not it is necessary, so gaming experts are keeping a close eye on future pokie losses in Victoria.

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.