Slow up the pokies: Stakes are high for problem gambling, Member for Cairns Michael Healy says

A way to slow down problem gamblers has been proposed by a Far North MP, who says punters are paying too high a price for their addiction.

Australians lose more than $25bn a year on legal forms of gambling, including poker machines, Member for Cairns, Michael Healy says.

A way to slow down problem gamblers has been proposed by a Far North MP, who says punters are paying too high a price for their addiction.

Member for Cairns Michael Healy addressed parliament recently to call out the consequences that unlimited spending on the slots are having on vulnerable Queenslanders.

The regional Queensland pollie said schemes to stop the one-armed bandits before they send bettors broke have already been adopted elsewhere in Australia.

“From next December, the amount of money people can load into a machine in Victoria at any time will be reduced from $1000 to $100,” Mr Healy said.

“In New South Wales … the government reduced the amount of cash that could be inserted into a poker machine at any given time from $5000 to $500, last July.”

Member for Cairns says other states have introduced new laws to curb problem gambling. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

Cashless gaming trials and other initiatives have been introduced in other states with Tasmania using a mandatory pre-commitment card in order to play the pokies.

The occasional flutter turned into slot machine mayhem for too many Queenslanders, Mr Healy said, often leading to dire consequences.

“Unfortunately, as a nation, according to the official government research, we now lead the world when it comes to gambling,” he said.

“Incredible as it may seem, Australians lose more than $25 billion a year on legal forms of gambling, representing the largest per capita losses in the world.

“Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety released new research looking into the relationship between gambling and domestic violence. Although gambling does not initiate domestic violence, a recent study reports, it undoubtedly exacerbates it.”

Queensland currently has 45,884 electronic gambling machines according to the Office of Liquor and Gaming.

Many European nations have similar laws, including Sweden, which established a pre-commitment system more than a decade ago.

Originally published as Slow up the pokies: Stakes are high for problem gambling, Member for Cairns Michael Healy says