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Recommendations
Recommendation 1
3.11 The
committee notes that the number of EGMs and their distribution in any
jurisdiction is a matter for state and territory governments to decide and recommends
that the proposed reforms should in no way be used as an opportunity to
increase numbers or alter distribution.
Recommendation 2
3.76 The
committee recommends that aligning jurisdictional standards on the issue of
'fake wins' be referred to the national regulatory authority (see
recommendation 28) with a view to agreeing a national approach.
Recommendation 3
3.81 The
committee recommends that the public information campaign on pre-commitment
(referred to in chapter six) include other messages connected to pre-commitment
including clear and simple messages explaining the Return to Player percentage
and the warning signs of problem gambling.
Recommendation 4
4.28 The
committee recommends that in line with the Productivity Commission
recommendations a public health approach to problem gambling be adopted across
jurisdictions with a view to reducing the levels of problem gambling.
Recommendation 5
4.54 The
committee recommends that an independent review of training programs be
undertaken to assess whether these are effectively equipping staff with
adequate training to apply problem gambling interventions.
Recommendation 6
4.55 The
committee recommends that industry codes of conduct should include effective
protection for venue staff who highlight shortcomings with training.
Recommendation 7
4.56 The
committee recommends that venue staff receive appropriate training in assisting
patrons with pre-commitment.
Recommendation 8
5.66 The
committee recommends a risk management framework be developed by the national
regulatory authority (see recommendation 28). The framework should be made
available to other bodies involved in implementation to draw upon.
Recommendation 9
5.67 The
committee recommends that pre-commitment cards will need to demonstrate
sufficient integrity and robustness in order to minimise identity fraud but not
require onerous signing up processes or infringe upon individual's privacy.
Recommendation 10
5.75 The
committee recommends that representatives of problem gamblers and consumer
groups be invited to join the membership of the Ministerial Expert Advisory
Group on Gambling.
Recommendation 11
5.99 The
committee recommends that a national, accountable and fully independent
research institute on gambling be established to: drive and coordinate national
research efforts, monitor the effectiveness of policies to reduce harms from
problem gambling and uild an evidence base sufficient to better inform future
policy development. The committee recommends that annual funding for this new
body be derived in part from a small levy on gambling taxes collected by state
and territory governments and a commensurate contribution from the
Commonwealth.
Recommendation 12
6.20 The
committee recommends that a mandatory pre-commitment scheme apply to all
players of high intensity electronic gaming machines by 2014.
Recommendation 13
6.52 The
committee recommends that players set binding spending limits but does not
specify an upper limit.
Recommendation 14
6.53 The
committee recommends that players be prevented from further play—locked
out—once they reach their pre-set spending limit.
Recommendation 15
6.54 The
committee recommends that players be prevented from circumventing pre-set
spending limits by machine and/or venue hopping.
Recommendation 16
6.55 The
committee recommends that player education be made available and counselling
services be offered to assist players set affordable limits.
Recommendation 17
6.62 The
committee recommends that all pre-commitment cards be issued with a pre-set
default spending limit which the player can choose to use or modify.
Recommendation 18
6.67 The
committee recommends that the card include a default time period which
specifies the duration of the spending limit (decreasing a limit will take
immediate effect) which the player can choose to use or modify. The committee
suggests the length of this default time period could be a common budgetary
period such as a fortnight. The minimum timeframe it could be modified down to
is 24 hours.
Recommendation 19
6.72 The
committee recommends that players be unable to increase their spending limit
during the time period they have specified for their limit to apply.
Recommendation 20
6.76 The
committee recommends that players be prompted to review their limits every
twelve months.
Recommendation 21
6.81 The
committee recommends that the process of setting limits not occur in close
proximity to gaming machines.
Recommendation 22
6.89 The
committee recommends that the system include dynamic warnings to alert players
when their limit is approaching and it include the capacity to personalise
messages.
Recommendation 23
6.97 The
committee recommends that a self-exclusion option be enabled on the
pre-commitment card and varying periods for self exclusion be made available.
This could be linked to existing jurisdictional exclusion schemes to provide
players with effective self-exclusion options.
Recommendation 24
6.98 The
committee recommends that players who self-exclude for a certain period of time
should not be able to shorten that period within the specified timeframe.
Recommendation 25
6.113 The
committee recommends that only basic identification information be collected
for the purposes of verification.
Recommendation 26
6.121 The
committee recommends the new national regulatory authority be tasked with
developing an appropriate national awareness campaign aligning with the
principles of the Ottawa Charter, to raise public awareness of pre-commitment.
Recommendation 27
6.128 The
committee recommends that linking loyalty schemes with pre-commitment schemes
not be prohibited, but this be monitored by the new national regulatory
authority for adverse consequences.
Recommendation 28
6.133 The
committee recommends that a national independent regulatory body be established
by the end of 2011 to oversee mandatory pre-commitment and associated reforms
in all Australian jurisdictions.
Recommendation 29
6.134 The
committee recommends that pending the establishment of the national regulatory
authority, the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and
Indigenous Affairs perform the functions of the new authority.
Recommendation 30
6.143 The
committee recommends that a pre-commitment trial be conducted in one
jurisdiction in order to further inform and refine key pre-commitment design
features and help identify any unintended consequences. The trial should
commence as soon as possible but not delay the timeframe for implementation.
Recommendation 31
6.147 The
committee recommends that development of the broad design of mandatory pre-commitment
be progressed by the national regulatory authority.
Recommendation 32
7.49 The
committee recommends that a detailed solution for registration, identification
and privacy be referred to the national regulatory authority for progressing.
Recommendation 33
7.95 The
committee recommends a phased approach to achieving harmonised national
standards. In the first stage, mandatory pre-commitment in all jurisdictions
for players of high intensity machines is introduced by 2014. Jurisdictions may
elect to use differing technological solutions to meet the national
pre-commitment features.
Recommendation 34
7.96 The
committee recommends that in phase two the national regulatory authority
develop a timetable to move toward harmonisation of the Australia/New Zealand
Gaming Machine National Standard, and adopt an agreed national standard
reflecting consumer safety and harm minimisation principles.
Recommendation 35
7.97 The
committee recommends that phase three would see full implementation of uniform
national technical standards.
Recommendation 36
8.37 The
committee recommends that low intensity machines, configured to reliably limit
player losses to an average loss of around $120 per hour, do not need to be
part of the mandatory pre-commitment system. Specifically the committee
recommends these machines feature a $1 maximum bet limit, a $500 maximum prize
and a $20 maximum load up. The use of these machines should be monitored by the
national regulatory authority to identify any unintended consequences and the extent
to which they contribute to reducing problem gambling prevalence rates.
Recommendation 37
8.38 The
committee recommends that the timeline to introduce low intensity machines with
the parameters specified in the recommendation above is consistent with the
timeline to implement mandatory pre-commitment.
Recommendation 38
9.43 The
committee recommends that the process towards harmonisation of the national
technical standards by the national regulatory authority include an independent
review of the barriers currently impeding greater uniformity and competition as
a matter of urgency. This should include a review of the continued use of the
Mutual Recognition (Commonwealth) Act 1992, Schedule 1(3) and an analysis of
the costs and benefits of the restriction as this was beyond the scope of the
last COAG review.
Recommendation 39
9.77 The
committee recommends that the definition of a small venue be 15 machines
or less but that it also take into consideration revenue per machine.
Recommendation 40
9.79 The
committee recommends that small venues, particularly those in regional and
rural areas, be allowed until 2018 to implement mandatory pre-commitment.
Recommendation 41
9.83 The
committee recommends the COAG Select Council on Gambling Reform investigate establishing
an industry transition fund to assist small venues to diversify their revenue
stream away from gambling, cover a shortfall in a community service or enable
low intensity machines. The criteria for access to the fund would be developed
in consultation with industry.
Recommendation 42
9.86 The
committee recommends that venues be given the choice to either run high
intensity EGMs with mandatory pre-commitment or low intensity EGMs without
pre-commitment enabled, or a combination of both.
Recommendation 43
9.106 The
committee recommends that, upon proof of identity, foreign tourists in casinos
be issued with a card that overrides the mandatory pre-commitment scheme for a
period of 24 hours. This should be monitored by the national regulatory authority
for abuse.
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