Report reveals Australia’s shocking gambling problem, but hope for Tasmanian initiative

A damning report reveals Australia has the highest gambling losses in the world, however a Tasmanian initiative that will be introduced next year has been commended.

Stock image of man at pokie machine. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

A report that reveals Australia has the highest gambling losses in the world has commended Tasmania for its mandatory pre-commitment scheme for pokies to be introduced next year.

The report, from the Grattan Institute think tank which calls for the introduction of loss limits on pokies and online betting, comes as hundreds of Tasmanians have been excluded under the Tasmanian Gambling Exclusion Scheme.

At the end of August, 272 people were recorded as being self-excluded with a total of 369 people currently on the scheme, which also includes venue-operator exclusions and third-party exclusions.

The Grattan Institute report showed Australian adults lost on average $1,635 a year on gambling compared to $809 in the US and $584 in New Zealand.

Grattan Institute deputy program director Kate Griffiths said research showed pokies were particularly prevalent in disadvantaged communities.

“Tasmanians lose $400m a year gambling, mostly on pokies ($120m) and betting ($100m),” she said.

“That’s $880 per adult.

“Tasmania’s new mandatory pre-commitment scheme for pokies will be best in class when it is operational and should be the model for other states to follow.

“The federal government has a role to play in preventing gambling harm in Tasmania too and should ban all gambling advertising and inducements and introduce a national mandatory pre-commitment scheme for online betting.”

Minister Nic Street. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Finance Minister Nic Street said the Tasmanian Gaming Monitoring Operator, MaxGaming, was working to implement the card-based system for pokies or electronic gaming machines.

“Designing and implementing this system is complex, and it will be rolled out as soon as reasonably practical,” he told the Sunday Tasmanian.

The report says the scheme is expected to be up and running by late 2025 and the card will be pre-set with default limits of $100 perday, $500 per month, and $5000 per year.

“People can choose to reduce their limits, at any time, with immediate effect.

“Anyone who wishes to increase their limit above the default limits will need to show proof that they are able to sustain higher losses.”

The system is expected to cost about $10m to install in licensed venues.

The Grattan Institute report recommends banning all gambling advertisements and inducements, cutting the number of pokies in each state and introducing a mandatory pre-commitment system for online gambling and pokies, with daily, monthly, and annual limits on losses.

Grattan CEO Aruna Sathanapally said Australians were paying the price for gambling let to “run wild”.

She said Australia had one electronic gaming machine for every 131 people in 2019, more than almost any other country.

Ms Sathanapally said loss limits would act as a ‘seatbelt’ on the most dangerous types of gambling.

“It would stop people suffering catastrophic losses – because no one should lose their house, or their life, on the pokies,” she said.

Originally published as Report reveals Australia’s shocking gambling problem, but hope for Tasmanian initiative