Pokies reform pushes through parliament

The Gambling Legislation Amendment (Pre-commitment and Carded Play) Bill 2024 has been sent to the Legislative Council after passing the Legislative Assembly 53 votes to 25.

In amending the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 and the Casino Control Act 1991, the bill makes changes to pre-commitment and establishes a regulatory framework for mandatory carded play at gaming venues.

In her second reading speech, Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation Minister Melissa Horne said the proposed legislation gives the government the power to set requirements for carded play on gaming machines in hotels and clubs.

‘Carded play is a relatively simple concept – it means that a player card must be inserted into an electronic gaming machine for it to operate,’ she said.

‘This establishes the means to enable patrons to make better informed choices about their spending.’

A three-month trial of carded play at about 40 venues across the state is expected to take place in mid-2025, before it is introduced on all poker machines.

Gippsland South MP Danny O’Brien said he’s concerned the bill doesn’t introduce the mandatory carded play in full, it only establishes a framework.

‘The government is basically giving itself a head of power to introduce these reforms rather than giving the parliament the opportunity to understand exactly what it is going to do and in what timeframe it is going to do it,’ he said.

‘I acknowledge the timeframe is listed in the second-reading speech, but we are already somewhat behind that timeframe given that the bill was introduced in November.’ 

The bill also requires new spin rate limits for new electronic gaming machines, slowing down the rate of play and player loss, both at hotel and club venues and at the casino.

Eureka MP Michaela Settle said gambling addiction has brought instability and dislocation upon her family as she spoke out strongly in support of the bill.

‘My ex-husband grapples with a mental health condition which drives him again and again to gambling,’ she said.

“ ‘If there are any reforms that we can make, then I support them wholly.’ ”

Eureka MP Michaela Settle

Gippsland East MP Tim Bull said the sector is concerned mandatory carded play will remove the casual element of gambling.

‘What this is going to impact is the person who goes along to a venue and while they are waiting for their parma to come out or waiting for their friends to turn up will put $10 through the pokies – I guess to keep their interest before they engage in the primary activity that they attended the venue for,’ he said.

‘This casual gaming will not take place if they have got to sign up; they just will not bother to do it.’

Narre Warren South MP Gary Maas declared the reforms ‘the strongest gambling harm prevention laws in Australia’.

‘From 1 December 2025 mandatory carded play will commence using the state government’s existing YourPlay framework, and the amount of money people can load onto a machine at any time will be reduced to $100, which is down from $1000, helping reduce the amount that can be lost,’ he said.

‘The precommitment card allows players to set voluntary limits that help prevent financial harm before it occurs and help people game responsibly.’ 

Brunswick MP Tim Read said the Greens welcome efforts to reduce gambling harm.

‘I would like to acknowledge the government’s reforms that have been introduced already, such as uniform closing times for poker machine venues as well as reform of Crown and the new regulator, which has substantive powers and is now investigating the industry and issuing fines for breaches,’ he said.

‘We also support that this bill has a provision that will lower spin rates of poker machines from the current 2.3 seconds to 3 seconds per spin.’ 

The opposition moved a reasoned amendment to halt progression of the bill for four reasons, including until the government provided evidence the proposals will reduce gambling harm.

Mildura MP Jade Benham outlined the other three key aspects of the motion.

“ ‘I am not a fan of poker machines, but I am a fan of the venues that house them.' ”

Mildura MP Jade Benham

‘The reasoned amendment asks that the government evaluates and reports on the feasibility of new technologies such as facial recognition technology and automated risk monitoring system… and delivers a process to protect border clubs from financial drift to interstate clubs and improves parliamentary oversight of the reforms as well,' she said.

The opposition’s reasoned amendment was voted down 53-25 and the bill passed through to the Upper House for further debate.

You can read the full transcripts of the speeches in the Legislative Assembly in Hansard.