MP Te Ururoa Flavell has introduced a number of new provisions to his Harm Reduction Bill. After garnering a great deal of support for the legislation, he has decided that several new responsible gambling methods would benefit the community by reducing problem gambling rates.
Flavell seems to have taken some inspiration from Australia’s federal government. This week, he proposed that pre-commitment and tracking technology is installed on all poker machines in clubs and pubs across the country. Players would be given pre-commitment cards, which would require them to set their own betting limits before they wager. The tracking systems would then ensure that they do not exceed these limits.
According to recent studies, pre-commitment seems to be an effective method to reducing problem gambling. Although it has not been put into practice yet, Australian politicians believe that players will be less likely to exhibit compulsive gambling behaviour when they set their own betting limits.
This is just one of many new provisions that Flavell has introduced. He has also proposed that 80% of pokie profits be returned to the community from which they game via grants. This would ensure that the areas that require problem gambling assistance the most obtain the funding for counselling and aid that they truly need.
