2016-05-24
Voluntary pre-commitment has failed
Greens gambling spokesperson Colleen Hartland says the state budget papers prove that Voluntary Pre-Commitment has failed to curb problem gambling.
“Losses from pokies continue to rise unabated. There has been no impact whatsoever of voluntary pre-commitment coming into effect, as predicted,” said Victorian Greens Spokesperson on Gambling, Colleen Hartland.
Samantha Dunn, Greens Member for Eastern Metropolitan said, “Voluntary pre-commitment was always destined to fail, now there’s proof.
“Labor and the former Liberal government have shown little commitment to deal with the core issues of problem gambling.
“Given the budget surplus being talked up by the Treasurer, you’d think the Andrews government would stop preying on those most vulnerable in our community to raise revenue.
“We know pokie machines are designed to be highly addictive, it comes as no surprise that voluntary betting limits are having no effect on problem gambling at all.
“Mandatory pre-commitment is the best way to ensure that people addicted to pokie machines will stop gambling when they reach their predetermined limit.
Facts:
Voluntary Pre-commitment came into effect on electronic gaming machines on 1 December 2015.
The Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission in their ‘Counting the Cost’ report (2012) found problem gamblers make up 35% of total spending on pokies. So if voluntary pre-commitment were effective we would see a drop in tax revenue, not an increase.
Budget Paper No.5, Statement of Finances, page 165 (2015-16 budget) and page 145 (2016-17 budget), shows revenue from poker machines:
- Has increased by $13 million dollars between 2014-15 and 2015-16
- Will increase another $27 million in 2016-17
- Will increase by $112 in total over the forward estimates
Gambling revenue remains about 9% of the total revenue in the budget. (9.3% in 2015-16, and forecast to be 8.85%in 2016-17).
Casino revenue is up $30 between 2014-15 and 2015-16, and is projected to rise year on year.
Total Losses per municipality 2013/14
Banyule $55million
Boroondara $19million
Knox $72million
Manningham $55million
Maroondah $ 62million
Monash $109million
Nillumbik $7million
Whitehorse $51million
Yarra Ranges $26million