Is Gambling Becoming Less Popular in the ACT?

Gambling is a popular pastime in the Australian Capital Territory, but there are signs that it may be declining due to some updates that the Alliance for Gambling Reform is working to put into place.

The suggested new rules have come after mentions of gambling harm and financial loss during a cost-of-living crisis in ACT. Recent reports published have shown that residents of Canberra lost $190 million in the past year, and many other states across Australia have seen similar losses. The argument that the Alliance is making is that the money spent on gambling could be used to strengthen the economy in other places. 

One of the measures that may be implemented is to drastically reduce the number of poker machines in the Capital Territory to 3,500 by 2025. Already, the number is diminishing, as there were approximately 5,000 in 2018, and are currently only 3,700 today. 

Despite the regulations surrounding retail betting tightening, this does not mean the end of gambling in ACT. There are a lot of different offshore casino apps which allow Australian citizens to use their services. As well as showing the best providers, players can also see the legality of gaming in the country and browse through huge game libraries, especially when it comes to pokies. You’ll be able to find over 4,000 of the best online pokies in the game library at some of the top-rated PayID casinos in Australia, with games from the top game providers, video pokies, bonus buys and progressive jackpot pokies all on offer. PayID is hugely popular for gamblers since credit cards were recently banned for use for gambling, and instead PayID is an easy and mobile friendly banking option for playing pokies and casino games. Poker is another popular game, and online poker sites in Australia offer tournaments, free games, various bonuses, and a range of poker varieties so there’s something for everyone. A few years ago, it was estimated that 132,000 Australians had gambled on poker within the month, so it’s clear to see the popularity of the game.

It seems as though gambling may not be on the way out in ACT, but rather that the rules around it are being strengthened. The Gambling and Racing Commission, some have argued, focuses on poker machines primarily and does not account for many other forms of gambling. There have been requests for a revision of the Commission, which has the purpose of ensuring compliance with the Gaming Machine Regulations and the Gaming Machine Act of 2004. Some of the main points of these acts include:

• Ensuring the upkeep of any gaming machines

• Guaranteeing that all associated fees and government taxes are collected on time and efficiently 

• Enforcing complete fairness in all gaming operations, for both operators and customers

Although these updates do point towards gambling being in decline in ACT, there are also calls to preserve gambling culture. Many clubs depend on poker and other gambling machines and there is a long culture in Australia of using pokies. Of course, harm reduction and ensuring safe gambling practices is paramount, but can this be done without eliminating it altogether? 

Measures have started to be put in place to keep gambling culture alive, whilst updating it and making it safer and secure for all involved. One such example that the ACT government has suggested is introducing a centralised monitoring system for gaming machines. The CMS will put in place a $100 credit limit and $5 bet limit, which will help to reduce financial loss. New regulations such as this will modernise the industry and tackle gambling harm, whilst still encouraging the economic boost and entertainment value that betting brings.