The Tasmanian government has confirmed that it will introduce a ‘pre-commitment card’ program which will place limits on the amount a person can spend on pokie machines.
The announcement was made by Deputy Premier and Treasurer Michael Ferguson and is believed to be in direct response to the Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission’s report into harm minimisation technologies for electronic gaming machines in the Australian state.
In a statement, Ferguson said:
“We support the Commission’s recommendation to implement a statewide player card gaming system with pre-commitment and cashless gaming. The government also supports the Commission’s view that facial recognition technology is not an effective tool for wider prevention of harm in gaming venues.”
The pre-commitment card will be used across the state and players can register for their card at any venue that hosts pokie machines. The defaults limits on the card are as follows:
- AU$100 per day
- AU$500 per month
- AU$5,000 per year
Limits can be dropped to lower levels at any time but any increase on limits will only be allowed if the gambler meets certain requirements. The announcement did not detail what those requirements would be.
Ferguson went on to add:
“The impacts from gambling harm are felt across our communities, beyond the immediate impact on an individual and their family. This system will protect people from losing more than they can afford.”
The program is expected to be fully operational by December 2024 and the government has set aside AU$268,000 in funding for training and support for license holders.
Ciaran has been working within the Gambling Industry as a deep analyst since 2019. His deep knowledge and understanding of all the gambling regulations, and processes makes him a true asset, and an always valuable point of view for Gambling Industry News, allowing us to cover every topics from a brand new perspective.