WA pokies debate
The big sell-off of the TAB has led to a big debate in the state about a surge in gaming.
The Barnett Government had been investigating the sale of the state-owned betting agency to bring down public debt.
Back in June, Mr Barnett and the Racing and Gaming Minister Colin Holt ruled out allowing pokies to be operated outside of James Packer's Crown casino.
Unlike states such as Victoria and NSW where governments rely on gambling revenue, WA has the nation’s strictest restrictions on pokies.
Under the state’s rules, TAB outlets allow legal bets across the state.
However, Keno and other electronic betting is banned.
Crown’s Perth casino is the only place allowed to operate poker machines.
Critics however are still concerned that the state’s resistance to poker machines could buckle if the TAB is sold to a private operator.
Liberal MP Murray Cowper has warned that it will see a tsunami of “mini-casinos all over Western Australia” if the TAB was sold off.
Opposition leader Mark McGowan has also expressed concerns.
And West Australians seem to agree completely with the government’s position on poker machines in the state’s pubs and clubs.
A Sunday Times/PerthNowWA Speaks survey found that 70 per cent of people opposed introducing gambling to WA pubs and clubs.
Less than 20 per cent supported the idea.
Men were more likely to support the idea than women: 24.9 per cent versus 14.1 per cent.
And while the 21 to 30 age group showed the most enthusiasm for changing pokies laws, only 24.9 per cent of that age group actually encouraged it.
On the other hand, there are ‘Trackside’ machines, providing virtual horse racing gambling to punters.
They have been in operation in other states for some time.
The speculation around the traps is that these machines might offer a compromise.
by Leon Gettler, November 8th 2016
