Question – Resubmitted Delayed Gaming Pre-Commitment Card

The Hon Meg Webb MLC asked the following question to the Leader of the Government, Mrs Hiscutt, on Wednesday the 7 August 2024.

Legislative Council Question Time

Mandatory Pre-Commitment Gaming Cards – Delay

Ms WEBB question to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT 

 [2.33 p.m.]

In early July, I asked the Leader of the government about confirmation of the delay in the rollout of the mandatory pre-commitment gaming cards for poker machines used in Tasmania. The Tasmanian Hospitality Association reported in the news media on 4 July 2024
that:

This proposed system has not been developed anywhere in the world and we have been trying to explain that to Mr Ferguson for a year and a half.

Can the government:
(1) Detail the number, mode and locations of any interactions between the hospitality sector representatives, gaming industry representatives and Michael Ferguson or the minister’s office, which pertained to the mandatory pre-commitment gaming card reforms and which occurred over the last 18 months?

(2) Detail the number, mode and locations of any interactions between any hospitality sector representatives, gaming industry representatives and the Finance minister, Nic Street or the minister’s office, which pertained to the mandatory pre-commitment gaming
card reforms?

ANSWER

Mr President, the Tasmanian government ministers engage regularly with parties who have an interest in portfolio issues. This includes stakeholders pertaining to the implementation of the mandatory card-based system for electronic gaming machines. Ministerial diary
information is routinely disclosed on a three-month basis and this information is publicly available on the Department of Premier and Cabinet website.

The Government committed to delivering a number of poker machine harm reduction initiatives in our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future including the introduction of a mandatory player card gaming system for electronic gaming machines as soon as reasonably
practicable; providing an additional $100,000 to promote awareness of the Tasmanian Gambling Exclusion Scheme, which includes third party exclusion; engaging with venues interested in implementing facial recognition technology as a means of identifying excluded
persons; examining the option of implementing automatic responsible gambling systems and requiring relevant employees to undertake a responsible-conduct-of-gambling course every two years, instead of the current requirement of every five years.

The government remains committed to implementing a mandatory card-based system for electronic gaming machines as soon as reasonably practicable.

The question and answer received 24 July 2024 can be read below: