The head of a Vietnamese-Australian group has told SBS Radio that gambling is a serious issue in his community and the government's backflip on reform is a disappointment.
Phong Nguyen, who is president of the Vietnamese Community in Australia group has said he believes the government should have pushed ahead with its original plans.
"Knowing the effect of problem gambling in my community, this issue is a very, very serious issue," he said.
"That is shown through all aspects of our community life."
"I think desperately we need some kind of restriction, some kind of reform," he added.
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Mr Nguyen said he was not convinced of the efficacy of a government plan to give clubs in the ACT $37 million to trial mandatory pre-commitment technology.
The trial was unlikely to reflect the real situation, and problem gamblers would be able to avoid participating venues by crossing the border into NSW, he said.
