Anti-gambling advocates are urging Premier Jeremy Rockliff to move forward with the state’s planned poker machine reforms, which include mandatory loss limit cards.
The government’s plan, announced in 2022, has stalled for months, sparking concerns about its commitment to the policy following the departure of former Treasurer Michael Ferguson, a key supporter of the initiative.
In an open letter to the Premier, the Alliance for Gambling Reform expressed frustration with the delay and called for the public interest to be prioritised over the “vested interests of the gambling lobby”.
“It is the responsibility of all political leaders to critique the assertions put forward by the vested interests which reap millions annually from pokies misery, against the evidence and expertise provided by those working in this field,” the letter reads.
Baptist minister and chief advocate for the Alliance, Tim Costello, said it was “devastating” that the loss limits card policy had still not been implemented.
The Tasmanian Hospitality Association, which represents venues with poker machines, has warned that mandatory loss limits could lead to the closure of up to half of such businesses.
The group’s concerns echo those of the gambling industry, which has reportedly intensified lobbying efforts to weaken or scrap the proposed reforms.
According to the alliance, this opposition is a sign that the reforms would be effective in protecting consumers.
“We know, for example, the pokies industry will push facial recognition technology despite the fact the Tasmanian Gaming Commission has already considered and rejected that as ineffective,” the letter states.
