HIGHLIGHTS
- New warnings will come in gambling ads by the year's end.
- NSW clubs will also roll out facial recognition technology in 2023 to fight problem gambling.
- NSW also wants to introduce a cashless gaming card.
In the same week that Australians watched the 'race that stops the nation' — the Melbourne Cup — a range of proposed changes to combat problem gambling came.
At the federal level, there may soon be new and improved warnings for everyone watching gambling ads on TV.
In NSW, facial recognition technology will prevent self-identified problem gamblers. And the state government says a cashless card for poker machines is on the way.
While advocates are looking forward to reform, they say it's historically proven difficult in Australia.
'Chances are you're about to lose'
From March next year, betting companies like Ladbrokes, Sportsbet and TAB will ditch the well-known "Gamble responsibly" slogan at the end of advertisements and replace it with new, government-approved ones.
The new mottos include "Chances are you're about to lose", "You win some. You lose more", "What's gambling really costing you?" and "What are you really gambling with?"
A free, national gambling self-exclusion register is also set to be rolled out by the end of the year to help people manage their access to betting services.
But Nationals Leader David Littleproud said the government's changes did not go far enough, and that the focus needs to be on whether gambling advertisements should be played on TV at all.
"Children are exposed to gambling ads as soon as they start watching sport on television or online and that's often from a very young age," he said.
"Changes to online betting ads need a common sense approach and a discussion about how to protect children from gambling."
NSW pubs and clubs to use facial recognition technology
In October, the Australian Hotels Association NSW and ClubsNSW announced they will implement facial recognition technology in 2023 to fight problem gambling.
Cameras will pick up gamblers who've registered on the state's and alert the venues' staff.
NSW's scheme is a voluntary option for problem gamblers to enter a self-exclusion agreement that bans them from the gambling areas of hotels and clubs and the Star casino.
People can also choose to self-exclude from an entire hotel or club.
The minimum period for self-exclusion from hotels and clubs is six months, and there is no minimum term for a self-exclusion agreement at the casino.
The technology is already used in hundreds of venues across NSW, but the proposal for next year is for all pubs and clubs to roll it out.
Tasmania and NSW to implement cashless gambling cards
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has committed to implementing a cashless gaming card, albeit without setting a timeframe.
He said the cards would reduce crime as well as harm to problem gamblers.
Meanwhile, three independent NSW MPs have pushed for a special commission of inquiry into the clubs and pubs industry.
Greens MP and the party's gambling spokesperson Cate Faehrmann said the state government knew gambling was increasing but was resistant to curbing gambling. She said that was because the government was reliant on gambling tax revenue over coming years. Tax revenue from pokies in pubs and clubs is estimated to exceed $2.4 billion in 2025/26.
"Claims that a cashless gambling card might cause more harm than good are classic industry spin," she said.
"Of course, they can, and should, be designed to reduce gambling harms."
Tasmania will introduce a cashless gambling card by the end of 2024, with default spending limits of $100 per day, $500 per week and $5000 per year. Altering the default limits will be possible.
Australian sports teams taking a stand
The NSW government is trying to tackle problem gambling in sport through its Reclaim the Game campaign.
According to the state government, over $172 million was spent on sports betting in 2018-19, which is an increase of 128 per cent over 10 years.
The campaign advocates for sports teams to turn away from sponsorship coming from gambling agencies.
A-League football team, the Western Sydney Wanderers, recommitted their relationship to the campaign in October, adding its women's side to the agreement.
More than 8 per cent of Wanderers fans believe there is too much gambling advertising, according to the NSW government.
It also says 88 per cent of Wanderers fans believe children and young people are exposed to too much gambling advertising.
CEO of the Wanderers John Tsatsimas said gambling is a concern in the Western Sydney community.
“We know that gambling is an issue that concerns many in our Western Sydney community, and we’re really excited to have this opportunity to raise awareness of gambling harm and reduce the amount of betting promotion that our fans are exposed to,” Mr Tsatsimas said.
Will changes actually be made?
Carol Bennett from the Alliance for Gambling Reform told SBS News that while initiatives like a cashless card are the right ways to fight problem gambling, there is too much political resistance in passing such policies.
She doesn't hold out hope it will happen.
"I don't think they'll bring it in," she said, referring to the NSW government's cashless card proposal.
"Dominic Perrottet thinks it needs to happen—every inquiry suggests it needs to happen—but it's clear that he doesn't have the full support within his government to bring that policy in."
"There's nothing on the table. There's no detail around what that looks like, or whether it's post-election."
Ms Bennett said the NSW opposition hadn't committed to a cashless gaming card either.
"Our leaders need to lead," she said.
"And they need to lead for the people, and not for the gambling industry."
"We know what needs to be done. But of course, this is not compatible with what the industry wants. And it seems that the industry dictates what governments will do."
Historically, Australian governments have seen resistance when trying to implement gambling reforms.
In 2012 when Julia Gillard was prime minister, she agreed with Tasmanian Independent Andrew Wilkie to implement $1 bet limits for pokie machines.
The agreement was based on recommendations from the Productivity Commission, which also pushed for $20 restrictions on the amount a player could feed into the machine.
But under pressure, Ms Gillard did not follow through with the agreement and it was scrapped.
A decade later, Australia has a greater loss from gambling than any other country in the world.
When divided across the nation, Australians lose about $1,200 per adult each year to gambling.
—With AAP
