Anti-pokies campaigners call on Andrews Government to dump YourPlay precommitment scheme

Victorians are pumping more than $7.4 million into the pokies every day but only 17,000 gamblers have signed up to a scheme designed to limit their losses.

Victorians are pumping more than $7.4 million into the pokies every day but only 17,000 gamblers have signed up to a scheme designed to limit their losses.

The Herald Sun can reveal of those 17,000, just 3867 punters have used the voluntary YourPlay system to set personalised messages which pop up when they approach their playing limits on poker machines.

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More than three years after the Australia-first precommitment scheme was launched, anti-pokies campaigners are now calling on the Andrews Government to dump it, arguing it has been “totally insignificant” in helping problem gamblers.

Victorians lost a record $2.7 billion at the state’s 26,000 poker machines last year, the equivalent of about $420 per person.

The $197 million YourPlay precommitment system allows punters to track their spending and set time and money limits on any machine.

But only 17,093 YourPlay cards have been registered, while another 52,694 casual cards have been activated.

Just over 17,000 YourPlay cards have been issued. Picture: LIAM KIDSTON

The government has continually delayed a major review of the scheme that was due in the middle of 2016.

Gaming Minister Marlene Kairouz said it would now be completed by June. “(The review) will be considered by government after that — however, we expect to continue with the scheme,” she said.

But Alliance for Gambling Reform spokesman Tim Costello said YourPlay had been “virtually a blip on the problem gambling horizon”.

“Voluntary precommitment is a bit like voluntary brakes in a car. You either have them in a car and use them, or it’s really just cosmetic,” he said. “Those who do themselves damage need much more significant harm-reduction measures.”

New figures show YourPlay has delivered more than 14 million responsible gambling messages.

Alliance for Gambling Reform spokesman Tim Costello. Picture: HAMISH BLAIR

Mr Costello said these messages did not outweigh the “highly deceitful, deceptive and addictive features” of poker machines.

He urged the government to bring in $1 bet limits and a cap on losses of $120 an hour.

Ms Kairouz said the government was tackling problem gambling with ­reforms including freezing the number of poker machines and limiting cash withdrawals in venues.

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