Media Release: Government Confirms No Independent Advice Sought on Pokies Plan

March 25, 2026

Government Confirms No Independent Advice Sought on Pokies Plan

25 March 2026

Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb said today the case for a mandatory pokies pre-commitment card has become stronger in light of the Government’s admission it failed to obtain independent advice from the Gaming Commission on its new minimalist pokies measures announced in January this year.

“The Government deliberately failing to seek independent advice to test the impact of its new pokies measures is a shocking example of state capture by corporate gambling interests,” Ms Webb said.

“During Tuesday evening’s Upper House debate on my motion, contrasting the two pokies reform options released in January, the Rockliff Government was forced to admit it did not seek advice from the independent Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission, and in fact no modelling or evidence could be provided to support its recent minimalist pokies measures.

“In contrast, the Government commissioned Deloitte Access Economics report, which advised the mandatory pokies player pre-commitment card would result in significant reduced player harm and provide economic, social, health and community benefits, was evidence-based.

“Yet it appears the Government had not even taken its Deloitte commissioned report to Cabinet, when it inexplicably put aside those evidence-based reforms in favour of its January pokies package.”

Ms Webb said clearly Deloitte did not tell the Government, nor the pokies industry, what they wanted to hear so now that evidence-based work is deliberately excluded from the policy making process, from Cabinet down.

“Instead, replacement measures have been doctored up at the direction of the pokies industry and announced with no evidence or independent advice whatsoever to back them as the best way forward. 

“This is a shameful and textbook example of state capture by corporate interests over the public interest.”

Ms Webb said the Deloitte Access Economics “Social and Economic Impact of Electronic Gaming Machine (EGM) Reform use in Tasmania” Report (published on Department of State Growth website 23 January 2026), found the previously planned mandatory poker machine player card with loss limits would:

  • (i) generate greater economic activity and increase jobs in Tasmania, with its central scenario indicating a net increase of Gross State Product of around $230 million and a net increase of over 200 jobs;
  • (ii) positively impact all industries, with the exception of the EGM sector, and all regions would have a positive or neutral economic impact;
  • (iii) significantly reduce the poker machine gambling expenditure and harm, especially for people at moderate to high risk of gambling harm; and
  • (iv) reduce the costs to government delivered and associated services, including in healthcare, mental health support, homelessness programs, policing, courts and corrections.

Ms Webb’s motion was debated and passed by the Legislative Council, late in the evening of Tuesday 24 March 2026. Text of Ms Webb’s successful motion can be viewed here.

Briefing Paper: Promised Pokies Player Card vs New Government Measures, produced by the Office of Meg Webb MLC, March 2026.

View the Promised Pokies Player Card vs New Government Measures Briefing Paper below or as a pdf here: