Anti-gambling group steps up campaign

Australian anti-gambling group steps up campaign

The campaign launch comes after strong indications that the Australian Government is backing away from Independent MP Andrew Wilkie's poker machine reform plan. [ABC]

Australian anti-gambling campaigners are stepping up their campaign to overhaul the country's poker machine laws, amid increasing signs the Australian Government appears to be backing away from its deal to force gamblers to set betting limits.

The issue has prompted widespread public debate about the social cost of poker machines, particularly in low income areas.

The Australia Institute has commissioned research which shows the cost to implement mandatory pre-commitment technology on poker machines is likely to be less than $US350 million.

But gaming industry body Clubs Australia is standing by its estimate that the changes will cost clubs $3 billion to implement.

Meanwhile, a coalition of anti-gambling groups will send one million letters to homes in marginal electorates across the country, arguing in favour of mandatory pre-commitment technology.

The technology would force gamblers to set limits on the amount of money they are prepared to lose before playing electronic gaming machines.

The Australian Government signed a deal to implement the technology with the Independent Member of Parliament Andrew Wilkie soon after the 2010 federal election, in return for his support to form minority government.

Mr Wilkie says he will withdraw his support if the changes are not legislated by May 8.

But the deal has sparked a backlash among voters in marginal electorates and it is not clear if the proposed changes would win enough support from the other independent MPs who hold the balance of power.

The Prime Minister Julia Gillard has repeatedly refused to reaffirm her support for the plan.

On Thursday, the Families Minister Jenny Macklin gave the strongest indication yet that the proposed changes will not go ahead.

"We will not be walking away from problem gamblers, we are committed to act to help problem gamblers but we have to act with the parliament that we have," she said.

The Opposition opposes mandatory pre-commitment technology and says problem gamblers should be offered counselling and voluntary pre-commitment instead.

Ms Gillard's minority government is no longer reliant on Andrew Wilkie's support to stay in power, after the election of former opposition MP Peter Slipper to the Speaker's chair in November increased the government's votes in the lower house.