Expert views
Read more about poker machines and problem gambling from experts writing for Uniting for Change.
Clubs should support communities and get behind reform
Dr Jennifer Borrell, Research Manager at Kildonan UnitingCare, writes that Clubs NSW is waging a vigorous campaign to ward off poker machine reforms that would reduce problem gambling and return control to ‘players’. These reforms, known as 'mandatory pre-commitment' would require gamblers to pre-set what they are prepared to lose. It sounds quite benign. So what is causing all the fuss?
Budgeting to Gamble
Mark Henley, from UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide, has written that changes to the poker machine industry are requiring customers to set a budget to gamble. So, while the gambling industry claims that this approach is new and untested, in reality it is an approach that is central to our entire banking and financial systems.
Time for Change
Tom Cummings, through an overview of how poker machines came to be so prevalent, makes the case that it is time for change. Tom writes, 'it’s been close to sixty years since poker machines were first legalised in Australia. That was in New South Wales and they were only allowed in registered clubs, although the pokies had already been around for decades... the authorities had simply turned a blind eye'.
Poker machine reforms will empower problem gamblers
Tim Costello, Chair of the Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce, calls on all people of good will to speak out for safer communities as the poker machine industry brings its misleading campaign to their neighbourhood in the months ahead.
