City of Monash Mayor Paul Klisaris has criticised the Victorian government’s gambling reform trial for failing to include mandatory loss limits, calling it a “missed opportunity” to reduce gambling harm.
The three-month trial, running across 43 venues in the Monash, Greater Dandenong, and Ballarat council areas, requires punters to use YourPlay cards to access poker machines.
While initially described as mandating loss limits, the government later clarified that players “can” set limits voluntarily.
“We are disappointed the Victorian Government did not include mandatory and binding loss limits in their trial, and we do not support it given this omission,” Cr Klisaris said.
“We want to see the reversal of the state government’s position on the card and how it’s implemented.”
Monash residents lost $126 million across the council’s 955 machines in the 2024–25 financial year, the third highest in Victoria.
“These machines prey on people and cause harm,” Klisaris said. “We haven’t been consulted. We’re at the coalface.”
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission reported record poker machine losses of $3.14 billion statewide last financial year, with the three trial councils accounting for 10.6 per cent of the total.
While some councils, such as Ballarat and Greater Dandenong, expressed cautious support for the trial, they echoed concerns that the voluntary approach weakens its impact.
The trial, which began in September and runs until November, forms part of the government’s broader gambling reforms. However, critics like Reverend Tim Costello have labelled it a “cosmetic trial” that fails to deliver on promises of harm minimisation.
Source: ABC.
