Australian state to restrict pokies

New South Wales is likely to pass a gambling reform which would set restrictions on the number of pokies in pubs and clubs.

Australia.- New South Wales lawmakers have proposed new laws in order to counter potential problem gambling caused by current regulations. Under the gambling reform, the number of poker machines (pokies) in pubs and clubs would be restricted.

The bill was introduced to state parliament on Tuesday 20th February and is designed to determine which communities are among “high-risk” based on their socio-economic level as determined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian media expects much of western Sydney including Fairfield, Liverpool, Cabramatta, Horsley Park and Bankstown to be among said group.

If the bill gets passed, requests for additional machines made before the legislation was introduced will be exempt from the new guidelines.

If New South Wales decides to set a limit on pokies, it would add up to a nationwide attack on the segment as political parties in several states are pushing similar pieces of legislation.