ACT Labor, if re-elected, would further reduce the number of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) in Canberra, a party spokesperson said.

While acknowledging that community clubs make a positive contribution to the city, Labor believes the harm caused by gambling addiction must be addressed.

“Our community clubs sector, who hold EGMs authorisations in the ACT, play an important role in the Canberra community,” a spokesperson said. “They are a major local employer, and a strong supporter of community and junior sports, and cultural events. Community clubs can and should be part of Canberra’s future.

“But the future of community clubs cannot be linked to the harm caused by gambling addiction, and the transition away from EGMs needs to continue.

“ACT Labor believes that the most effective way to reduce the harm caused by EGMs is to reduce the number of machines available, and their geographic availability, alongside the introduction of mandatory harm reduction measures in venues.”

Labor aims to have only 1,000 machines in community clubs by 2045 through a mandated reduction process of 500 machines every four years, through a compulsory surrender process.

This reduction has already begun, the spokesperson noted: the number of machines in Canberra decreased from 5,022 in 2015 to 3,790 today.

Labor said it would support community clubs to transition to more sustainable revenue sources and encourage investment in housing projects.

“A re-elected Labor Government will provide a framework to support clubs to invest in sustainable revenue ventures as they reduce the number of pokies they operate,” a spokesperson said.

“To further support housing supply in the Territory, a re-elected Labor Government will establish practical ways for community clubs to use their land assets to invest in appropriate housing projects, including affordable housing, aged care, and build-to-rent.

“The outcome will be more affordable housing in accessible locations across Canberra.”

Labor proposes to create a community ‘club of the future’ in the Molonglo Valley, without pokies. Labor MLA Dr Marisa Paterson passed a bill earlier this year prohibiting poker machines from the Molonglo Valley and other new areas of the ACT.

To reduce gambling harm, Labor would also introduce mandatory, account-based cashless gaming in all ACT venues by 2026–27, providing users with personal spending and time limits; a self-exclusion scheme; and ban ATMs and EFTPOS withdrawals in clubs.

“It’s a progressive, practical and proven plan to reduce the harm caused by gambling addiction and build a sustainable community clubs sector for Canberra’s future,” a spokesperson said.

ACT Greens

ACT Greens leader Shane Rattenbury, currently Minister for Gaming, stressed the need for more comprehensive measures to prevent harm.

“While we welcome today’s commitment from Labor to reduce the number of machines (a position held by the Greens for some time now), the fact of the matter is that regardless of whether we have 10 or 1,000 machines, they still have the potential to cause harm,” Mr Rattenbury said.

 Mr Rattenbury advocated for a system with mandatory precommitments and loss limits for players, implemented through a universal player card across all machines (linked by a central monitoring system). He criticised Labor’s proposal both for lacking this system and for not supporting a fully costed universal player card system he had already presented to Cabinet.

Dr Paterson, however, has said that a centralised monitoring system would be expensive but ineffective.

“Disappointingly, Labor’s policy lacks these evidence-based controls that are considered to be the most effective in reducing harm,” Mr Rattenbury said. “Labor has committed to a ‘cashless framework’ but, importantly, this framework appears to ignore the strong evidence base for a universal system across all venues, preventing people from venue hopping once they’ve reached their limit at one establishment.

“Labor’s proposal also conveniently ignores the fact that a Minister in their own Government has been trying to deliver an expert informed and endorsed version of this all term. As Gaming Minister, in September 2023 I took to Cabinet a fully costed proposal for a universal player card developed by the Justice and Community Safety Directorate.

“The recent market sounding has revealed this could be delivered in two years at less than half of the initial estimated cost. Labor has this information and has so far declined to support this proposal.

“I hope that with this newfound zeal for reform, the Labor Party will actually knuckle down in the coming weeks and help land the proposal that is before the Government right now.”

Mr Rattenbury emphasised the importance of diversifying away from gambling machines and the Greens’ history of pushing for gambling reform in the ACT.

“The diversification of club revenue is something I have been working on for many years now,” Mr Rattenbury said. “Clubs do play an important role in our community, but they cannot continue to rely on revenue generated by potentially harmful machines.

“The progress made to date on gambling harm reform has been the result of proposals brought forward and negotiated by the Greens in successive governing agreements, and we are happy to welcome Labor to the table.”

In 2016, the ACT Greens introduced a Parliamentary Agreement commitment to cut Electronic Gaming Machine licences from more than 5,000 down to 4,000.

In 2020, the ACT Greens introduced a Parliamentary Agreement commitment to cut EGMs by a further 500 to 3,500 by 2025. Their election commitment was a reduction of 30 per cent by 2030 (i.e. to 2,800).