Mandatory Carded Play Bill Up for Debate in Victoria
The Victorian government is set to debate the implementation of carded play in gambling venues this week. This move comes as a response to growing concerns over gambling harm and follows the success of carded play at Crown Resorts' Melbourne property.
Both Crown Resorts and Star Entertainment Group have shown willingness to implement the feature, aiming to appease regulators and potentially protect consumers from excessive spending. The bill, if passed, would upgrade all available poker machines in Victoria, impacting approximately 26,000 units, primarily found in pubs and clubs across the state.
Carded play is designed to help venues monitor gambling harm and ensure individuals are gambling on their own. The system requires patrons to use a pre-registered and configured card to gamble. This card tracks spending habits, draws real-time reports on financial status, and ensures the gambler can afford gambling.
The measure has faced opposition across Australia, with trade bodies arguing it treats patrons like criminals. However, gambling critics view carded play as a potential way to protect consumers from excessive spending and help operators avoid costly enforcement actions.
The idea of reducing poker machines in New South Wales has been scrapped due to cost-inefficiency, while the Victorian government is keen on trialing carded play to understand its implications for reducing gambling harm. Notably, Crown Melbourne has already implemented carded play, with over 500,000 people already signed up for the service.
The significant losses incurred by Victorian players on poker machines, with players losing between $3 billion and $4 billion in 2023-24, further emphasise the need for measures like carded play. The Victorian government's decision to consider implementing carded play is seen as a potential solution to minimizing gambling harm in Australia.
However, it's worth noting that no relevant information was found regarding a company in Victoria that has already implemented the introduction of playing cards. The debate on carded play is expected to be a significant one, with the potential to reshape the gambling landscape in Victoria.
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