New gambling harm measures to be introduced

The Minister for Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Marlene Kairouz, has announced new measures to be introduced to reduce the harms from gambling.

The changes include:

• limiting EFTPOS cash withdrawals at gaming venues to $500 in a 24-hour period
  
• banning the practice of cashing cheques at gaming venues
  
• banning any encouragement of players receiving winnings in the form of cashless gaming tickets or credits
  
• amending the standards and directions that apply to Responsible Gambling Codes of Conduct.
  

These changes are included in the Gambling Regulation Amendment (Gaming Machine Arrangements) Bill 2017 currently before Parliament.

Changes will also be made to regional caps and municipal limits, which restrict the maximum number of gaming machines permitted in each local government area.

The number of local government areas with full regional caps has been extended from 11 to 17, and now include Brimbank, Hume, Central Goldfields, East Gippsland, Wellington and Maroondah. New regional caps will also now cover parts of Frankston and Wyndham.

The new regional caps and municipal limits will commence on 3 November 2017.

• Read the media release
• Read the Gambling Regulation Amendment (Gambling Machine Arrangements) Bill 2017 (under Parliamentary Documents)
• Read the Ministerial order for new regional caps and municipal limits (Special Gazette Number S318 Dated 20 September 2017)