Premier Dominic Perrottet has revealed that the proposed cashless gaming cards for use in pokie machines in New South Wales will have a daily spending limit of between AU$1000 and AU$1500.
Perrottet confirmed last week that the proposed cards would have a daily limit but had yet to determine the exact amount. However, in an interview on Chris O’Keefe’s radio show on 2GB, the Premier confirmed that it will be around the $1000 to $1500 mark.
The implementation of cashless cards, proposed by Perrottet as a part of gambling reform efforts, has sparked debate and controversy leading up to the state election in March.
When asked about the new limit, opposition leader Chris Minns compared the limit to one which is in place in Tasmania. Current limits there prevent gamblers from spending more than $100 per day on pokies when using the cashless card scheme.
Meanwhile, Transport and Veterans Minister David Elliott, who will not be seeking re-election, has argued that the cashless cards will only shift the issue rather than solve it saying:
“What you’ll see is people just walking out of registered clubs and pubs and walking down the road and not putting the 20 bucks after bowls in a poker machine, but going … to the news agency and buying 20 bucks worth of scratchies,”
The Australian Hotels Association NSW (AHA NSW) which represents many of the state’s licensed pokie venues has yet to comment on the newly announced daily limits.
Based in London, Natasha is a former sports journalist with experience working for some of the biggest athletes & brands in the world of sports and iGaming.