Report calls for action on gambling

30 Apr 2010, 2:41 pm   -   Source: AAP
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States and territories have failed to curtail problem gambling and the federal government needs to intervene, a new report says.

States and territories have failed to curtail problem gambling, as they rely on the industry for revenue, and the federal government needs to intervene, a new report says.

The report, by academics Linda Hancock and Michael O'Neil, says Australia should establish a national gambling regulator that would set poker machine quotas, bet limits and other initiatives.

It suggests a national not-for-profit lottery be created to wean the states off the billions of dollars' worth of poker machine revenue they receive each year.

This would be augmented by money from a two per cent levy on the gambling industry, which the report estimates would generate an extra $378 million annually.

Ms Hancock, an associate professor at Deakin University, says problem gambling is a serious health risk.

"This whole approach ... needs to be a central plank in the Rudd government's health plan," she told reporters in Canberra.

"Where is the preventative health? In Victoria, one in five suicide attempts presenting to emergency services at The Albert hospital (are) gambling-related."

Independent senator Nick Xenophon, who spoke at the launch of the report on Friday, said hundreds of thousands of Australians were adversely impacted by gambling each year.

The anti-gambling campaigner said he was inspired to join federal politics because of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's commitment to address the issue.

"Can I suggest to the prime minister that now the ETS (emissions trading scheme) is off the agenda, there's a lot more time in the Senate to consider legislation," he said.

"State governments are the number one jackpot junkies. They can't be trusted when it comes to gambling regulation."

The senator also called on the government to release, and act upon, the Productivity Commission's report on gambling.

The draft report recommends pokie bets be restricted to $1 per play, and cash withdrawal limits should be placed on ATMs located near the machines.

The report showed Australians lost $18 billion a year on gambling, and about 15 per cent of Australians gambled regularly, excluding games like Lotto and scratchies.

About 10 per cent of regular gamblers are problem gamblers. Of them, an estimated 125,000 are serious problem gamblers and 165,000 are considered to be at moderate risk.

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