Since they were introduced into the state 30 years ago, Victorians have lost a staggering $66 billion at the pokies. Electronic Gaming Machines, or pokies, have been deliberately designed by the gambling industry to be highly addictive. But while other types of gambling are confined to the casino, the majority of gaming machines in Victoria are in pubs and clubs in the community, and in higher concentrations in disadvantaged communities.
While some clubs have expressed interest in getting out of the industry for good, the government has refused to consider it, claiming that clubs are now locked into 20-year licences, and 20 more years of harm. Local councils and communities also have little control over pokies in their communities, as the regulator has the power to determine applications for new pokies.
Problem gambling is a serious public health issue that affects individuals, families and communities. The financial stress caused by gambling addiction can lead to family breakdown, job loss, depression and suicide. There are established links between problem gambling, family violence and violent crime.
Enough is enough. The Greens have a plan to get the pokies out of our communities and reduce gambling harm in Victoria.
THE GREENS' PLAN FOR A POKIES-FREE VICTORIA
Harm minimisation measures for all gaming machines
In the wake of the Royal Commission into Crown Casino, the Labor Government has introduced some long-overdue gambling reforms for gaming at the casino, including requiring mandatory pre-commitment on gaming machines from 2025. But in Victoria, just 2,628 of the state’s 30,000 pokies are in the casino, while the rest are out in community pubs and clubs.
To reduce gambling harm we need strong harm minimisation measures at every single gaming venue in the state. And although the Tasmanian Government has recently taken a stand against the gambling and hospitality lobbies to introduce Australia’s first statewide mandatory pre-commitment scheme, here in Victoria the Labor Government is too close to the gambling and hotel industries to implement a similar statewide scheme.
The Greens plan to reduce harm in all pokies venues includes:
- Introducing from 1 July next year.
- $20 load up limits, $500 jackpot limits, and lower the cash withdrawal limit to $200 within 24 hr period
- Require all pokies venues to be closed between 12am and 10am
- Establishing from a least 1 July 2025:
- Mandatory pre-commitment cashless card scheme on every gaming machine in the state, in line with the with Crown Casino reforms
- Maximum $1 bet limits.
Increase the tax on all poker machines to 65%
Like other harmful products like cigarettes and alcohol, poker machines should be properly taxed to reflect the threat they pose to public health. But currently pokies in Victoria are taxed on a sliding scale depending on average monthly revenue, from 0% up to 60.67%.
The Greens will introduce a flat tax on all poker machines and increase it to 65%.
In the longer term, Victoria must find new revenue sources to replace taxes on pokies. We simply can’t keep relying on this immoral industry to prop up our state finances.
A buy-back scheme for pokies licences
Gaming venues in Victoria recently signed new 20-year pokies licences, effectively locking us into 20 more years of gambling harm. And while some clubs have expressed interest in handing back their licences and machines, the government has so far refused to consider a fair mechanism to allow clubs to get out of the industry early.
20 year licences are far too long. The Greens’ plan will:
Initiate an independent expert panel to develop a licence buyback scheme: The panel will consider the best way to set up an effective buy-back scheme for pokies licences and consider options for replacing the revenue lost from making Victoria’ pokies free by 2035. The panel will ensure local councils are included in the development of the scheme, so that they can input into the reduction of pokies licences in their areas.
A $200m fund for smaller clubs and pubs that want to move away from pokies before the buy-back scheme is in place
The Greens will implement a $200m transition fund to help smaller venues that want to get out of pokies immediately transition to new revenue streams.
Ban political donations from the gambling industry
The Labor and Liberal parties are too close to the gambling industry and too afraid to take them on. Before the 2018 election combined Labor and the Liberal took almost $1 million in donations from the pokies industry.
The Greens will push to ban political donations from the gambling industry so our communities can come first. We will also close the revolving door between politics and the gambling industry by banning politicians and senior ministerial advisors from working in the gambling industry for 5 years
Reforming Crown Casino
The Royal Commission revealed the full extent of Crown’s dodgy behaviour. From allowing money laundering and criminal activity within its walls to overseeing significant gambling harm, Crown’s special treatment from the government allowed it to get away with illegal activity and bad behaviour for decades. While the government has committed to implementing the Royal Commission recommendations in full, we have an opportunity to go further on casino reform to focus on reducing gambling harm, preventing corruption and stopping the next casino operator from growing its political influence at the expense of the Victorian community.
The Greens' plan would:
- Halve the number of gaming machines and tables to reduce gambling harm
- Introduce harm minimisation protections including dollar bet limits, spin restrictions, withdrawal limits, mandatory pre commitment and ban loyalty programs.
- Increase tax rates to make the Casino pay its fair share by doubling the tax paid on gaming tables and machines and reintroducing an additional progressive tax on commission-based play that was removed in 2014–15.
- Impose an annual levy of $22,715 on each electronic gaming machine.
- Increase the community benefit levy from 1% to 2%.
Reducing harm from online sports betting
Sports betting is the fastest growing sector of the gambling industry. Victorians lost a massive $2.33 billion on sports and race betting in 2020–21, an increase of 42% from the previous year. And the bulk of sports betting - 72% - occurs online, where the ease of placing a bet makes it possible to lose significant amounts very quickly and carries a higher risk of harm.
While in Victoria we have banned gambling advertising on public transport and near schools, advertising is still allowed in other public spaces, at sports grounds and on broadcast television and digital media. And the sheer saturation of gambling advertisements on television and on social media means Victorians, including children and young people, are exposed to higher rates of gambling advertising than ever before. We see an average of 948 gambling ads a day on free-to-air TV - an increase of massive 253 per cent since 2016.
The Greens will ban gambling advertising in public places, at sports grounds and introduce tighter restrictions on gambling ads on television and radio. We will also work with our federal colleagues to fully ban gambling advertising on television, radio, and online including on social media
In 2019 the Labor Government introduced a new point of consumption tax, which is levied on the revenue online bookmakers raise from customers located in Victoria. However much of the tax revenue goes straight back to the racing industry through the Victorian Racing Industry payment.
The Greens will:
- Increase the point of consumption wagering and betting tax (POCT) from 15 per cent to 20 per cent.
- Cancel the Victorian Racing Industry Fund payment.
This would raise $1.4 billion dollars over the forward estimates and $5.1 billion over the decade.