Media Release – SEIS – No Clean Bill of Health
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb said the 5th Social & Economic Impact Study (SEIS) on gambling in Tasmania is not a cleanbill of health for the Gutwein Liberal Government.
“Gambling expenditure remains high and appears to now be concentrated in a smaller proportion of the Tasmanian population,” Ms Webb said.
“The big question now is whether the Gutwein Liberal Government is prepared to take further action to protect vulnerable Tasmanians.
“Unlike NSW which has a Zero Harm target, this Government is complacent and continues to callously dismiss the harm being caused every day by pokies to Tasmanian families and communities.”
Ms Webb said the May, 2021, pokies losses of $15,128,068 are the highest May losses for six years.
“We can easily make pokies safer in Tasmania, without affecting recreational use or jobs. Yet the Government is still prepared to abandon the tens of thousands of Tasmanians being harmed by poker machines, even though it is well aware of the expert recommended measures that would dramatically reduce that harm.
“One in three Tasmanians personally know someone with a serious problem gambling on poker machines.”
Ms Webb said while the figures in the SEIS are valuable, researchers acknowledge they are underestimates.
“The issue is even larger than these figures represent, which is confirmed by the elevated losses we continue to see, month after month.”
Ms Webb said standard international consumer protections can easily be adopted in Tasmania without affecting recreational use or jobs, including:
- $1 bet limits
- slower spin speeds
- lower maximum jackpots
- no losses-disguised-as-wins
- no near-misses
