GAMING machines altered to accept banknotes, strengthen barring orders and Christmas Day and Good Friday trading are among a raft of new gaming laws introduced to State Parliament this week.
The government has outlined its intentions to allow banknote acceptors to be fitted to gaming machines in clubs and hotels, bringing South Australia into line with other Australian and New Zealand jurisdictions.
Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said the change would be strictly regulated to mitigate any potential risk to problem gamblers, including the denomination of banknotes and amount of money allowed to be inserted by a player.
The currency shake-up forms part of several proposed changes which aim to protect the community from gaming related harm, while also supporting the hotel and hospitality sector.
Building on reforms announced earlier this year, the government intends to strengthen and improve provisions involving the barring of patrons from gaming venues.
“Barring orders are an integral part of our measures to combat problem gambling and protecting the community from gambling-related harm,” Ms Chapman said.
“Under these reforms, barring orders may be made for any period or an indefinite period and be initiated for multiple gaming venues.
“In addition, any money won by a barred patron – or unclaimed winnings on gaming machines – will be forfeited and paid into the Gamblers Rehabilitation Fund.”
The new measures would also allow struggling sporting and community clubs who already hold gaming entitlements to merge together or transfer gaming machines more easily, while gaming venues would be allowed to operate on Christmas Day and Good Friday, consistent with liquor licensing.
The government has also proposed a fixed number of gaming machines for South Australia.
SA-BEST MLC Connie Bonaros yesterday lambasted the government over its proposed legislative framework, labelling it a “heartless” proposal which gave no thought or consideration to the destruction poker machines have on addicts’ lives.
“For the Attorney-General to say her proposal is simply bringing SA into line with other states – as well as changes in technology – completely undermines the harm reduction reasons behind some of these measures,” Ms Bonaros said.
“The Attorney-General’s very own figures reveal about $11,000 more was lost for each poker machine in 2018-19 compared with when machine numbers ballooned 17 years ago.
Ms Bonaros claimed the number of problem gamblers – 85pc of whom play poker machines – had almost doubled over the past 14 years.
“Let us be very clear, note acceptors are not a harm minimisation measure – they are the complete opposite of that.
“Every single problem gambling expert will tell you that – yet the Attorney General is using that argument as a selling point to her outrageous plans.”
