Coroner & Legal
Flatlining pokie losses are nothing to celebrate
The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Labor and Liberal parties to support the Greens’ push to end the epidemic of social harm inflicted by poker machines, in light of the latest monthly figures on gaming machine losses.
Greens Gaming spokesperson Kim Booth MP said the Gaming Commission figures published on the Treasury and Finance Website showed said that Tasmanians collectively lost $18,280,146 on pokies in August, taking the toll for this year so far to $135,599,075
“Given the growing number of people struggling to make ends meet, it’s actually a tragedy that the rate of losses on the pokies has remained virtually unchanged over the past few years,” Mr Booth said.
“It makes makes a falsehood of the Labor and Liberal parties’ claim that they are taking poker machine harm minimisation seriously.”
“This is yet another unacceptable hit to the community’s most vulnerable and it casts shame on the Labor and Liberal parties for their refusal to support state-based action to reduce the harm from poker machines.”
“These machines are the crack cocaine of the gaming industry, and are cynically designed by experts to create maximum addiction through use of bright flashing lights and sound.”
“The Greens have already tabled legislation for a $1 bet limit in State Parliament, and an amendment to allow local councils a say on where pokies go.”
“All we need now is for either Labor or Liberal to publicly commit to supporting these Bills when they are debated, and we can start to undo some of the damage.”
“These are just interim steps toward what’s really needed to solve this problem, which is a full roll-back of poker machines from the community.”
The Greens remain the only party to support:
• $1 per spin bet limits.
• ‘Plain packaging’ for poker machines.
• Requiring casinos to contribute 4 per cent of profits toward the Community Support Levy, in line with what pubs and clubs pay.
• Legislating for local councils to have a say on pokies numbers and locations in their municipalities.
Reference: Electronic Gaming Machine Expenditure by Rolling Year, Dept of Treasury and Finance:
http://www.treasury.tas.gov.au/domino/dtf/dtf.nsf/6044ee0c1cf958a2ca256f2500108bba/cd36bfc11d136484ca2575e10006e703?OpenDocument
Earlier on Tasmanian Times:
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• Simon de Little, Pat Caplice: Cut Down The Triffid