Online Article-EXCLUSIVE: State government confirms massive delay in poker machine reform

EXCLUSIVE: State government confirms massive delay in poker machine reform

Finance Minister Nic Street has confirmed that a system to set mandatory loss limits for poker machine users in Tasmania will not be in place for at least 18 months.

The government announced in September 2022 that it would implement a recommendation from the Tasmanian Liquor and Licensing Commission for pre-commitment, card-based gaming on poker machines, promising to have it in place by the end of 2024.

Under the system, players set their own loss limits or rely on loss limits of up to $100 a day, $500 a month, or $5000 a year.Limits can be higher if they can prove they can afford it.

Maxgaming Holdings was awarded the licence to monitor electronic gaming machines in casinos, hotels, and clubs after the Federal Group’s decades-long poker machine monopoly was broken up.

Mr Street said Maxgaming had encountered several challenges, which meant it needed at least another 18 months to develop the new technology.

“Our government has previously acknowledged that implementing such a system is a complex task, and as such, the development and full and efficient implementation may take more time than originally anticipated,” he said.

“While Maxgaming’s need for an extension is disappointing, the project is progressing with work on the system design completed.

“There was $189.6 million lost on poker machines in Tasmania in 2022-23.

According to Treasury data, $77.3 million was lost on Tasmanian poker machines in the first five months of this year.

The most significant losses were recorded in Launceston and Glenorchy.

Nelson independent MLC Meg Webb said the government should immediately introduce further evidence-based harm reduction measures in the interim.

“It is worth taking the time needed to get the nation-leading card-based system right, but there is no excuse to neglect other evidence-based measures that can be put in place to cut harm now,” she said.

“Every month we continue to see Tasmanians experiencing high losses to poker machines, well above pre-COVID levels, including a further $15.7 million in May, and we know that around half of those losses come from people who are addicted.

“Another year’s delay means another $190 million dollars in losses flowing out of our most vulnerable suburbs through these deliberately addictive machines.

“The evidence is clear, we know what will work to cut harm immediately – lower bet limits and slower spin speeds, which are simple programming adjustments.”