In a significant legislative move, the Victorian Parliament has passed the Gambling Legislation Amendment (Pre-commitment and Carded Play) Bill 2024. This bill, which recently advanced to the Legislative Council after a 53 to 25 vote in the Legislative Assembly, seeks to drastically alter the landscape of electronic gaming machines across Victoria.

A step towards responsible gaming:

Under the new legislation, a mandatory pre-commitment system will be integrated into gaming machines at both hotels and clubs, mandating that a player card be inserted for operation. This initiative is designed to enable gamblers to make more informed decisions about their spending habits.

The Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Melissa Horne, articulated in her second reading speech that this move aims to empower the government to enforce carded play requirements. According to the Parliament of Victoria’s website, she emphasized, “Carded play is a relatively simple concept – it means that a player card must be inserted into an electronic gaming machine for it to operate.” This framework is part of a broader strategy to ensure that patrons are better informed and can manage their spending more effectively.

A pilot trial of this system is set to commence in mid-2025 across approximately 40 venues, as a precursor to a statewide implementation.

However, not all members of the parliament are on board with the proposed timelines and the extent of the reforms. Gippsland South MP Danny O’Brien expressed reservations about the bill merely establishing a framework without fully enacting mandatory carded play. He criticized the government’s approach, stating, “The government is basically giving itself a head of power to introduce these reforms rather than giving the parliament the opportunity to understand exactly what it is going to do and in what timeframe it is going to do it.”

In addition to setting up a carded play system, the bill also proposes new spin rate limits on gaming machines, aimed at slowing the pace of play and reducing gambling losses.

Voices of support amidst the debate:

Despite these criticisms, several MPs voiced strong support for the bill. Eureka MP Michaela Settle shared a personal anecdote about the impact of gambling addiction on her family, advocating for any reforms that could mitigate such harms. In contrast, Brunswick MP Tim Read from the Greens lauded the government’s efforts, acknowledging the dual approach of regulating casino operations and slowing machine spin rates as significant steps forward.

The opposition, led by Mildura MP Jade Benham, moved a reasoned amendment to halt the bill’s progression, calling for more comprehensive evidence and evaluation of the proposed changes. This amendment, however, was voted down, allowing the bill to proceed to the Upper House for further debate.

As Victoria stands on the brink of implementing these rigorous gambling reforms, the debates and discussions within the Legislative Assembly highlight the complex balance between regulating gambling activities and maintaining the economic viability of venues that host these machines. The outcome of these reforms could set a precedent for other regions grappling with similar issues.