Campaigners are pushing for mandatory cashless cards to be rolled out on pokies in Queensland pubs and clubs as players hit record losses on gaming machines.
The state’s gamblers have lost $3.5 billion over the past year, averaging more than $9.5 million daily, according to official figures.
Losses came from about 41,000 pokies operating across Queensland.
Closeup of Gambler Pressing the Spin Button While Playing Slot Machine in the Casino. Gambling Industry Theme.
Queenslanders are losing more than ever to pokies, with low-income communities facing the heaviest financial hit. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
And those figures exclude casino pokies.
Losses have surged 46 per cent since COVID, with the sharpest impacts in areas with lower household incomes.
In Logan, $128,954 is lost per machine every year, in Lockyer Valley it’s $111,556, and in Ipswich $101,876 annually per machine.
“It makes us feel sick when we see what those figures represent in terms of families and community harm,” said Alliance for Gambling Reform CEO Martin Thomas.
“What the data shows is a predatory gambling sector that deliberately targets struggling households — people least able to afford such losses.”
Critics argue mandatory electronic gaming cards could stop players losing beyond their limit.
“The carded play system is simple — players register and set a personal loss cap in advance,” Thomas explained.
The proposed reforms mirror Victoria’s, where maximum load-up limits are being cut from $1000 to $100.
“Once someone reaches their set limit — maybe $100 a week — they’re locked out of further play until the next week,” said Thomas.
NSW is also moving toward mandatory carded play, with trials already underway.
“People should have freedom to spend as they choose,” countered Queensland Hotels Association CEO Bernie Hogan, who opposes such reforms.
“Are we going to dictate what food people can buy or what cars they drive? Of course not. It’s a matter of choice.”
Queensland’s attorney-general confirmed interstate results will be reviewed before any decisions are made.
