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World
World Desk · · 30s summary · 4 min read
Tasmania's Liquor and Gaming Commission has publicly warned that new pokies policies announced by treasurer Eric Abetz in January 2026 will "set Tasmania back" on harm reduction and could worsen the situation for problem gamblers. The regulator was not consulted before the measures were submitted to cabinet. The Commission's main concerns include doubling the ATM withdrawal limit from 200 to 400 AUD in gaming venues, a TITO (Ticket-In Ticket-Out) system seen as a money laundering risk, and the rejection of its recommendation on opening hours. The government defends the measures as "proportionate and practical." Progressive implementation is scheduled by mid-2028.
Tasmania's Liquor and Gaming Commission, the public body responsible for overseeing gambling in the Australian state of Tasmania, publicly opposed gaming machine reform announced by treasurer Eric Abetz in January 2026 on July 14, 2026. The Commission warned that these measures will "set Tasmania back" on harm reduction and could worsen the situation for problem gamblers.
Letters exchanged between the Commission and the treasurer were obtained by the ABC through right-to-information laws.
The package of measures comprises four components: installation of ATMs in gaming venues with a 400 Australian dollar (AUD) withdrawal limit, equipped with facial recognition; introduction of the TITO system (Ticket-In Ticket-Out, which allows players to collect their remaining credits as a barcode-printed ticket that can be cashed or reused in another machine); use of facial recognition to identify people registered in the self-exclusion scheme; and a reduction in opening hours from 20 to 17 hours per day.
Currently, up to 200 AUD can be withdrawn via EFTPOS (Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale, an Australian payment system allowing cash withdrawals in retail locations) in Tasmanian gaming venues. The new ATM policy will raise this limit to 400 AUD per withdrawal.
Potentially harmful initiative
— Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission, regarding the installation of ATMs in gaming venues
The Commission believes that this increased availability of cash facilitates chasing losses behaviour in problem gamblers.
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Regarding the TITO system, the per-ticket limit, initially announced at 100 AUD, was raised to 200 AUD with no limit on the number of tickets used. The Commission flagged that this mechanism could introduce a money laundering risk in gaming establishments.
The Commission also advocated for uniform opening hours across all venues to prevent gamblers — including those registered in the self-exclusion scheme (a voluntary program in which a person requests to be banned from gaming venues) — from moving between venues in the early hours. This recommendation was not adopted.
The three commissioners sent a joint letter dated March 31, 2026, to treasurer Abetz, confirming they had not been consulted before the measures were submitted to cabinet.
Abetz met with the Commission two days after receiving the March 31 letter, then responded in writing on April 17, 2026, defending the measures as "proportionate, practical" and respectful of players' "personal autonomy."
Proportionate, practical
— Eric Abetz, Tasmanian treasurer, in his written response of April 17, 2026, to the Commission
The Tasmanian government had initially planned to make a pre-commitment card mandatory — a device allowing players to set spending or time limits in advance before each gaming machine session. This project was suspended before the announcement of the new package of measures in January 2026.
The hospitality sector, which had consistently opposed the mandatory pre-commitment card, appeared to support the new, less restrictive measures.
The Commission has been instructed to implement the new measures progressively by mid-2028. The outcome of the disagreement between the regulator and government, as well as the actual impact of the reform on gambling behaviour, remain to be determined.
The Commission believes that doubling the withdrawal limit — from 200 to 400 AUD — facilitates chasing losses among problem gamblers, increasing harm risk.
TITO (Ticket-In Ticket-Out) allows players to convert their credits into a cashable or reusable paper ticket in another machine. The Commission flagged that this mechanism could be misused for money laundering.
The three commissioners confirmed in a joint letter of March 31, 2026, that they were not involved in developing the measures before they were submitted to cabinet. Abetz met with them two days later and responded in writing on April 17, 2026.
The pre-commitment card allowed players to set spending or time limits in advance before each session. The Tasmanian government had planned to make it mandatory but suspended the project in favour of the new package of measures, supported by the hospitality industry.
The Commission has been instructed to implement them progressively by mid-2028.