On 17 February 2012, the Australian Government released exposure drafts of the National Gambling Reform Bill 2012 and the National Gambling Reform (Related Matters) Bill 2012.
The timeframe for consultation and comments closed on Friday 2 March 2012.
This draft legislation is designed to give effect to key parts of the Government’s commitment to reduce the harm caused by poker machines to problem gamblers and their families, as announced on 21 January 2012.
The Bills will require:
- by the end of 2013, pre-commitment technology to be available on every gaming machine made in — or imported to — Australia.
- by the end of 2016, state-linked pre-commitment and dynamic warnings and cost of play displays - with longer implementation timelines for small venues.
- from 2013, a $250 per card per day withdrawal limit on ATM machines in gaming premises, except in casinos and in communities where this may cause unreasonable inconvenience.
The Bills also provide for an inquiry by the Productivity Commission into the results of the proposed trial of mandatory pre-commitment.
The reforms contained in the Bills are based on recommendations of the 2010 Productivity Commission Inquiry into Gambling in Australia, and build on the agreement of the Council of Australian Governments Select Council on Gambling in May 2011 to support the infrastructure for pre-commitment in every gaming venue in the country.