FOBTs crackdown: Australia’s turn?

Looks like the FOBTs crackdown is gonna reach Australia’s parliament as well after the recent slash by the United Kingdom’s government on the maximum stake on FOBTs to $3.60 (2 pounds) per spin, in what they say is a bid “to protect the most vulnerable in society” from harmful losses.

As a reaction to the measures taken by the UK on the FOBTs, Australian Independent MP Andrew Wilkie said that he hoped the measure would increase pressure on local governments to introduce similar restrictions.

“The Federal Government has it within its power to legislate for $1 maximum bets, as well as other harm minimisation measures like mandatory pre-commitment,” Wilkie explained, adding: “Unfortunately, the Government has shown itself to be thoroughly uninterested when it comes to reining in poker machines. And no wonder, when you look at the enormous donations both major parties receive from the gambling industry.”

Australian anti-gambling campaigner Tim Costello greeted the UK’s decision to cut the maximum stake on FOBTs and said that Australia should follow. “I welcome what the UK has done and think Australia should follow.” And he added: “If you ever ask the public, it is always over 70 per cent ‘we hate them’. So it is really politicians within the industry who are opposing what the public wants.”

“Australia has with pokies a blindness that America has with guns. The NRA in America has captured politicians, the pokies lobby has captured politicians,” Costello concluded.

Source: focusgn.com