In relation to the recent news that Tasmanian Labor Party is planning to remove all poker machines from clubs and pubs in the next 5 years, the Opposition Treasurer claimed that the move means that people in the community are a priority to the lawmakers. Scott Bacon stated that by deciding to remove all pokies from the said locations and leave only those operating in casino venues, the party shows that it listens to its voters and provides them with fast solutions to the highly discussed problem gambling issue which is affecting millions of people in the state, as well as in Australia as a whole.
It could be recalled, that this week brought the news that in case the Tasmanian Labor Party wins the election in 2018, it will confine poker gaming devices to casinos only. This decision was provoked by the large amount of money which is spent on pokies on a daily basis by the gambling enthusiasts in the region. People have been complaining about the gambling addiction which seems to spread around like a contagious virus, so the Labor Party decided to consider a measure which would put an end to the dangerous practice which affects negatively many households in the area.
Prevalent Stance on Pokies in the Region
Mr. Bacon said that the decision is based on arranging the welfare of the people and looking after their best interest. The Joint Select Committee has presented a lot of evidence that voters strongly oppose the thousands of pokies currently operating and pubs and clubs in Tasmania. This was the tipping point that made the lawmakers consider the change and begin the work on the new regulation which is striving to better the lives of millions of people. From the perspective of the Labor Party, gambling addiction is a health issue which could be worked through, and the first step towards a positive outcome is limiting the accessibility of the said devices.
One of the most prevalent opinions is that the easy access to gambling machines is the reason behind the surging number of people experiencing uncontrollable desire to gamble and the large sum of money which is poured in the industry. At the moment, those machines are strategically placed in low socio-economic areas of the state, which makes them the easy go-to gambling location for people who are in need of funds and willing to try various approaches to amass some income.
These locations are spread evenly throughout the area and people can pass many on their way to work or to the supermarket, which could result in an unplanned gambling session. In order to make the process as smooth as possible, the Labor is planning to remove the said machines over the span of five years, to ensure a minimal impact on the businesses. It will also provide a funding package amounting to A$55 million which will guarantee capital to the locations in order to assist their operation. According to some predictions, this measure would bring A$14 million less revenue by 2023, however, the focus of the lawmakers is on the positive effect it is expected to have.
