“It has been more than a year now since the State Government promised to introduce sweeping reforms that were touted as Australia’s strongest gambling harm reduction laws and we are still waiting,” the Chief Advocate for the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Tim Costello, said.  

“And now we have another new record in pokier machine losses, these losses underscore devastating social harm across our community from financial hardship, health and mental health problems, family violence and breakup and suicide.” 

“Victoria desperately and quickly needs to introduce a mandatory cashless card with pre-set loss limits across all of the State’s pubs and clubs. In this way, we will reduce gambling harm and it will also tackle money laundering by criminals,” Rev. Costello said. 

“The longer Victoria dithers on these reforms the more harm is being caused by people across the community.” 

“Victoria needs to get serious about tackling gambling harm and announce a timeframe for implementing the poker machine reforms.