The founder of The Hope Project and a popular gambling-reform lobbyist, Kate Seselja, changes in the gambling sector have been moving slowly but the good news was that gambling-related harm is seen as a public health issue and the authorities in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is still reviewing the implementation of some measures aimed at minimising poker machine volumes.
Ms Seselja has been dealing with addiction to the controversial pokies herself, with the compulsive behaviour almost made her take her own life nine years ago. Ever since she has been a keen supporter of some changes in the sector.
According to her, seeing the ACT, or at least local clubs, become poker machine-free would be the best-case scenario, considering the detrimental effect they have on communities.
Despite the gambling reform in the ACT has been moving relatively slowly over the years, the local authorities have made another step forward, as they put several poker machine-related issues on the agenda for a new ministerial advisory council, such as the reduction of the number of pokie licences, the pokie bet limits to AU$5 and the load limits to AU$100. The Ministerial Advisory Council was commissioned by Shane Rattenbury, a Gambling Reform Minister and Attorney-General, and involved the United Workers Union (UWU), club presidents and gambling reform activists.
Poker Machine Gamblers Often Do Not Understand the Negative Effects
Mr Rattenbury has shared that he would have to work individually with clubs in order to come up with the most appropriate support packages through the changes. According to him, the ACT Government agreed that community clubs and their poker machines offering have become an important part of many Canberrans’ lives, as they not only offer them a meeting place but also sponsor various community events.
He further noted that council members would provide insight into how the authorities could support local clubs while at the same time ensure better protection for local community members against gambling-related harm.
As a former poker machine addict, Ms Seselja explained that it was the engagement with a certain gambling product that inflicts the harm, while another danger comes from the fact that people often do not understand the actual impact that such a compulsive habit could have on their lives.
Kim Marshal, President of ClubsACT, said that local clubs were trying to bring diversity to their revenue streams by adding products and services that have nothing to do with gambling but the current revenue raised was being brought back to the community because these clubs were not for profit. Ms Marshal further noted there was a low measure of gambling-related harm in the ACT but the clubs are not trying to avoid responsibility code on the matter. Furthermore, the authorities could always intervene when they find something wrong.
- Author
Daniel Williams
