Daniel Andrews, Premier of the Australian state of Victoria, released earlier today the terms of reference, under which the allocation, operation, and the overall number of poker machines within the state’s borders will be reviewed.
Back in July, the Victoria government commenced a Review of Gaming Machine Arrangements as a means to determine the number of pokies that are to be featured in future as well as the terms under which those will be allocated across the state. In addition, officials said that they would like to examine whether certain changes in the current gambling regulations need to be introduced.
Under the current laws related to the allocation of gaming machines, gambling venues need to have an entitlement for every single device they feature. Those entitlements are valid for ten years and are set to expire in 2022.
According to the released information, the government will take into account eight main things when reviewing the gaming machines featured in the state. In the first place, officials will comment on whether the current “gaming venue operator model” should be retained and if it has met the initially set objectives.
Another thing that will be discussed is whether the regulations for the said model should be kept. For instance, the state gambling venues are allowed to feature a total of 27,372 pokies. And each gambling venue is permitted to offer no more than 105 devices.
Revenue from pokies and whether it is distributed fairly will also be among the topics taken into consideration.
Last but not least, officials will discuss the entitlements, their price, how and when they should be taxed and paid, and how they should be allocated.
According to the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), the main regulatory body for the state’s local councils commented that due measures need to be taken so that officials prevent further losses from gambling debts and the negative effects gambling activities have on the population. MAV suggested that lower betting limits could be introduced as well as the number of poker machines offered in the state could be reduced.
According to figures released by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation, last year, gambling customers lost on poker machines almost A$70 million more than they did in the previous year.
The review will be carried out by the Victorian Department of Justice and Regulation and will include consultation with industry representatives as well as with the community. Officials from the department are to report directly to the government by July 2016. Furthermore, the Victorian government will conduct a separate review of whether the existing measures for the minimization of gambling-related harm are effective enough.
