The federal government's long-delayed laws to try to cut destructive poker machine addiction have finally been introduced into parliament. Here is a summary of what they entail.
SELF-IMPOSED PRE-COMMITMENT UNTIL 2016
Pre-commitment on pokies means players set the limit for how much they can lose. It is self-imposed rather than mandatory.
All poker machines manufactured or imported by December 31, 2013 are to support pre-commitment, which will require gamblers to set the amount of money they are willing to lose.
All poker machines are to be part of a state-wide pre-commitment system by December 31 2016. Small venues will have longer implementation times.
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ACT TO HOST TRIALS
The bills will allow stalled negotiations for an ACT trial of gaming machine mandatory pre-commitment technology to restart.
An independent review of ACT trial of mandatory pre-commitment technology will be conducted by the Productivity Commission.
ATM CASH LIMIT IN GAMBLING VENUES
A $250-a-day withdrawal limit will be placed on ATMs at pokie premises, with exemptions for casinos and clubs in small communities where alternative cash outlets aren't easily available, from May 2, 2013.
NEW LEVIES
The government will also put money aside for the establishment of a National Gambling Research Commission. The centre will cost $1.5 million a year and commence in July 2013.
The costs of the new system will be partly offset by two new levies - a supervisory levy and a gaming machine regulation levy. The cost of the former will be set by regulation while the machine levy will be based on a formula that takes in the revenue earned by each individual machine.
The legislation is likely to pass parliament next year.
