ACT Labor to continue to reduce gambling machines in Canberra if re-elected

ACT Labor plans to mandate a reduction to 1,000 machines by 2045.

Australia.- The ACT Labor Party has promised to continue to reduce electronic gaming machines (EGMs) in Canberra if it is re-elected, aiming to have only 1,000 machines by 2045. A party spokesperson highlighted the vital role of community clubs as local employers and community hubs and stressed the need to dissociate their future from gambling harm-related issues.

The party has already begun a gradual reduction in the number of EGMs through a mandated process, with the goal of 500 machines to be surrendered every four years. The number of machines in Canberra decreased from 5,022 in 2015 to 3,790 today.

Labor says it will assist community clubs in transitioning to sustainable revenue sources and facilitate investment in housing projects. It envisions establishing a model community club without gaming machines in the Molonglo Valley. Last September, Labor assembly member Dr Marisa Paterson proposed legislation that would ban gambling machines there and in new areas of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).

Labor also plans to introduce mandatory, account-based cashless gaming in all ACT venues by 2026–27, giving users personal spending and time limits, a self-exclusion scheme, and banning ATM and EFTPOS withdrawals in clubs.

Australian online gambling credit card ban enters force

The government of Australia has announced the implementation of the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Credit and Other Measures) Bill 2023 which was approved last December and prohibits the use of credit cards for online gambling. The government had given a six-month transition period to allow the industry to prepare for the ban.

From yesterday (June 11), companies failing to enforce the ban could face fines of up to AU$234,750. The new legislation broadens the powers of the Australian Communications and Media Authority to allow enforcement.