The Tasmanian government has faced intense scrutiny this week over its decision to drop a mandatory pre-commitment card for poker machines, a policy it had previously touted as 'nation-leading'. The card would have capped losses at $100 per day or $5,000 per year.
Instead, the government has proposed a 'ticket in, ticket out' system, facial recognition technology to identify gamblers on the self-exclusion list, and limits on ATM withdrawals. The cashless card has been 'parked' until a 'national approach' is developed, the government says.
On Friday, Treasurer Eric Abetz appeared before an upper house committee to defend the policy change, which has drawn heavy criticism from anti-gambling advocates and raised concerns from the state's own Liquor and Gaming Commission.
Mr Abetz rejected accusations that the reforms were formulated 'at the behest' of the hospitality industry, and urged comparisons to be made only against the current system.
'The reality is operational complexities of the proposed card-based system, for example the need to create a centralised banking system, would have delayed implementation and increased cost significantly,' he said.
'I would say that I invite everybody to judge the reforms … against the current system as it exists. If you do the compare and contrast with that, you will see substantial improvements.'
Earlier this week, anti-gambling and lived experience advocates told the committee the measures would have minimal harm-minimisation benefits, and in some cases could even increase losses.
Mark Kempster, from the Alliance for Gambling Reform, urged the government to reinstate the cashless-card plans.
'It's just cowardly to try and push back to the other states to go we're just going to fall in line and follow suit with everybody else,' he said.
'You have to at some point stand up for what's right and what the vast majority of people probably really do want, and to stop gambling harm across the country and across our state.'