ACT's biggest gambling reform: cashless pokies and loss limits
The ACT will mandate cashless pokies, force 15-minute play breaks, and reduce machine numbers to combat gambling harm.
The ACT government plans its biggest gambling reform package. The reforms aim to reduce poker machine harm across the territory.
All venues must switch to cashless gaming. Players must set up an account and get a venue-issued card.
Players must set a maximum loss limit on their account. Players must take a 15-minute break after every hour of play.
The government will cut weekly operating hours for gaming machines by 15 hours. By 2045, the ACT plans to reduce total poker machines to 1,000.
The government will remove 500 machines every four years. Minister Marisa Paterson said the changes target both immediate and long-term gambling harms.
The reforms do not include mandatory bet limits. They rely instead on voluntary self-exclusion schemes.
- 15 hours
- Weekly hours cut
- 500
- Machines removed every 4 years
- 1,000
- Target machines by 2045
Why it mattersAustralians spend billions on pokies; stricter restrictions aim to protect vulnerable people from addiction and financial harm.
AustraliaACT residents will face tighter poker machine access; other Australian states may adopt similar reforms if the changes succeed.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 10 d ago
