To reduce gambling harm, the ACT Government has today introduced what it claims are Australia’s most significant gaming reforms, but the package has come under fire from both the clubs industry and reform advocates.
Henceforward, the government announced, EFTPOS cash withdrawals will be banned at venues with poker machines, followed by ATMs next year.
Account-based cashless gaming will be mandatory, meaning people must use a registered account to gamble on electronic gaming machines; they will not be able to gamble anonymously with cash, and clubs must enforce a 15-minute break in play after every hour of continuous poker machine play.
Gambling exclusion will be simpler and easier to access.
From July 2027, poker machines will operate for 15 fewer hours each week: venues will not be able to operate electronic gaming machines Monday to Thursday 2am to 10am, Friday 2am to 9am, Saturday 4am to 9am, and Sunday 4am to 10am. The proposed opening hours were 6 hours a week longer than the 2am to 10am closures announced in 2024, critics have said.
By 2045, no more than 1,000 poker machines will be authorised in the ACT.
The government will support clubs to develop sustainable business models that rely less on gambling revenue.
Gaming reform minister Dr Marisa Paterson said: “These reforms reduce access to cash creating an important break in play, and gives people time to reconsider spending more than they intended.”
One in six adults in the ACT is harmed by their own gambling, someone else’s gambling, or from earlier gambling, Dr Paterson said.
“Together, these reforms recognise the scale of that challenge, and put stronger safeguards around the gambling product associated with the greatest harm in our community.”
ClubsACT said it supported measures to reduce gambling harm, but questioned whether a venue-wide ban on cash withdrawals was justified once gaming became cashless.
CEO Craig Shannon called on the government to publish evidence showing what additional harm reduction the ATM and EFTPOS bans would achieve; assess the financial impact of the reforms; and provide a funded transition plan for clubs to replace income and maintain community services.
Relationships Australia Canberra and Regions welcomed the ACT Government’s “strong and proactive approach to reducing gambling harm”, CEO Lauren Anthes said.
Canberra Gambling Reform Alliance (CGRA) and the ACT Council of Social Services (ACTCOSS) welcomed the ban on cash withdrawals, but criticised the reform package because it would not legislate specific timeframes for breaks in play; did not appear to include mandated loss limits; and provided shorter poker machine venue close-down periods than promised in the last term of government.
The ACT Greens accused the government of watering down its previous commitments, and of being compromised by Labor’s connections to the gambling sector.
“The government can try and obfuscate the reality, but the truth is the proposal announced by Labor today is a much weaker proposal than their own commitments not two years ago by the Chief Minister,” gambling harm spokeswoman Rebecca Vassarotti MLA said.
“Delaying these reforms and watering down previous commitments represents a capitulation to industry pressure and a betrayal of a community that expects stronger action on gambling harm.”
The ACT Gambling Support Service can be contacted 24/7 on 1800 858 858.
