Victorian Government announces $500 EFTPOS cap on slot machine venues in bid to limit gaming losses

POKIE venues will be forced to cap daily EFTPOS withdrawals - and cheques will be banned - in a fresh bid to tackle problem gambling in Victoria. But a taskforce wants even tougher measures.

Minister for Gaming and Liquor Regulation Marlene Kairouz says the Andrews Government is taking “strong action to reduce the harm from gambling on our community”. Picture: File

POKIE venues will be hit with a sweeping raft of changes including a $500 a day cap on eftpos withdrawals in the bid to tackle gambling harm in Victoria.

The new daily limit has been accompanied with a ban on cashing cheques and purchasing cashless gambling tickets on credit card.

The number of municipal areas with full caps has also been increased from 11 to 17 and will now apply in Brimbank, Hume, Central Goldfields, East Gippsland, Wellington and Maroondah Frankston and Wyndham.

The changes are part of the Gambling Regulation Amendment (Gaming Machine Arrangements) Bill 2017 and come after moves to ban betting adds 150 metres from school.

Machine entitlements have also been capped at current levels for the next 25 years.

Minister for Gaming and Liquor Regulation Marlene Kairouz said the Andrews Government was taking “strong action to reduce the harm from gambling on our community”.

“We are capping pokies numbers across the state, limiting daily cash withdrawals in venues and restricting betting advertising in our public spaces,” Ms Kairouz said.

“This is about protecting people and helping those who choose to gamble stick to their limits.”

However the changes have been blasted by the Victorian InterChurch Gambling Taskforce which warns they do not go far enough.

Chair Dr Mark Zirnsak said he was “disappointed” and changes around cashless gaming tickets paved the way for the new payments system to be extended to the suburbs.

“Research shows that most people with a gambling problem withdraw $300 so the limit is going to do very little. It is a small step forward.”

He also said most venues no longer accepted cheques and said banning them at venues was a no brainer.

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