The pokies problem
Fairfield Advance, Wednesday, 20 February 2008

REMOVING ATMs from gaming venues would do little to thwart "highly intelligent" gamblers feeding their poker machine addiction, Anthony Sobb said.

The Fairfield RSL Club chief executive officer said anti-gambling Senator Nick Xenophon's push to remove the machines and introduce smart card technology just meant gambling addicts would obtain cash in alternative ways.

Senator Xenophon, an independent South Australian politician, wants the Federal Government to take a tough stance on anti-gambling, which it pitched during the 2007 election campaign.

The smart cards would impose daily gambling limits on problem gamblers.

But Mr Sobb says it is not a viable solution.

"The urge to gamble is so great, measures such as this are easily overcome and don't necessarily deal with the issue," he said.

"The problem gamblers are highly intelligent they'll find a way to get two or three smart cards.

"Problem gamblers learn how to fool people. They're highly intelligent in shuffling accounts."

Mr Sobb, who established the Sydney Problem Gambling Centre, said students needed to be educated about gambling the same way they were informed about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

"There's no education at all," he said. "We're only dealing with the symptoms, not the core."

However, Fairfield councillor and anti-gaming advocate Thang Ngo supported changes.

He said removing ATMs from gaming venues made sense "because it helps gamblers to make rational decisions".

"Gamblers will have to think about how much money to bring in the first place and can't go back to the ATM to withdraw more and more," Cr Ngo said.

"I'd also support daily betting limits on gamblers."

He also backed smart card technology, saying the industry would be dishonest if it said smart card technology did not help problem gamblers.

"Smart cards can help to identify problem gamblers. What we need is legislation to force these pokie palaces to act responsibly," he said.

Mounties chief executive officer Greg Pickering said removing ATMs would limit patron convenience and choice.

"Our patrons have the right to be able to access their cash through ATMs and Mounties provides a safe and secure environment in which to carry out such a transaction, with full-time security on the site," he said.

Mr Pickering said the club had the system to deliver smart card technology, but opted against it because the State Government's limits on the system do not make it sufficiently attractive to implement.

"Also this is definitely not something that all venues could afford to do and, to be effective, all clubs and hotels would need to offer the service," he said.

In a political swipe, Mr Pickering said Senator Xenophon received 30,054 votes in the Federal Election and Mounties had 96,000 members. "Who is representing who here?" Mr Pickering asked.

The Federal Government is expected to make a decision on the gambling laws in July.* Fairfield RSL Club will host a gambling forum on Tuesday at 6pm.