Lawmakers push for $50 loss limit on pokies in Victoria

The Victorian Greens have negotiated with their political rivals, the Victorian Labor Government, to introduce a new default loss limit on poker machines in the state of Victoria, Australia.

The agreement also focuses on fixing the Community Benefits scheme which presently allows poker machine clubs to benefit from tax breaks, the party said in an official statement shared on its website.

New mandatory loss limits set at $50 for poker machines

The Greens and the Victorian Labor Government have been working closely on the issue, looking to strengthen player protections in the state, with the introduction of the default $50 limit now hailed as a major success in this regard.

The limit is set per person for 24 hours and applies to electronic gaming machines. It’s also expected to come into effect once Victoria introduces its carded play scheme which will become obligatory for all players.

"The Government needs to implement meaningful gambling harm reforms without delay and the Greens are pleased to have secured a commitment to a $50 daily default loss limit. This practical reform will have a real impact in curbing the horrible impacts predatory poker machines have on Victorians," said Greens Spokesperson for Gambling Harm Reduction Katherine Copsey.

However, there is no exact date when the mandatory carded play scheme will come into effect, as this is still the subject of debate. The Greens have said that they are worried about what they have described as insufficient harm reduction measures on poker machines.

The Green similarly criticized the Community Benefit scheme, arguing that the tax breaks that poker machine clubs enjoyed did not work as intended, as the money saved from tax payments should have gone to charities, but were often used to upgrade equipment in the clubs.

Player protection is a keyword across Australia

Australia has recently enforced its credit card ban that will see the country suspend credit card payments for the purposes of gambling, an important step towards strengthening player protection as a whole.

Similarly important, the country also passed a law that requires pre-verification limits for players who gamble online. Companies need to complete an identity and age verification before they can start depositing or gambling.

In the meantime, the national’s self-exclusion program, BetStop, has been showing signs of success, bringing in thousands of registrants who seek to get their gambling habits under control.

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