No limit, no dice: Anti-pokie campaigners' line in the sand over Victorian gaming trials

If gamblers can’t set boundaries on losses, what is the point?

Matthew Sims
August 20, 2025

Victoria’s trial of carded play on poker machines across 15 venues in the Monash LGA is due to start in September, but it’s already under growing pressure, as gambling reform advocates question its value if it doesn’t force players to set a spending limit.

The Eastern Melburnian understands the Alliance for Gambling Reform – and all three participating councils (Monash, Greater Dandenong and Ballarat) – will likely withdraw their support for the trial if mandatory pre-commitment or loss limits are not included.

What is mandatory pre-commitment?

Mandatory pre-commitment is a process that commits gamblers to set a limit on how much they are comfortable losing in a given time period.

For example, they may set a $50 daily limit and, if they lose the money or reach the time limit, they will be locked out until the following day or week begins.

Gamblers can only change these limits once every 24 hours.

These electronic pre-commitment systems have been shown to prevent and reduce harm from pokie use.

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Gamblers will be able to set limits on how much they spend and how long they play.

What did the State Government pledge?

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen announced the trial in July. In a media release, it was touted as “a trial of mandatory account-based play” to “put the power back into the hands of patrons”.

The release did not state whether mandatory pre-commitment would be part of the trial. The Eastern Melburnian has sought comment from Gaming Minister Enver Erdogan.

How has YourPlay been working so far?

The royal commission into Crown Casino resulted in the gambling giant having to introduce carded play in December 2023. All gamblers at Crown are required to have a player card linked to a registered YourPlay account, as well as set a time and loss limit. It has since shown a drop in gambling losses.

However, earlier this week, Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) chair, Chris O’Neill, said the commission had reprimanded Crown for allowing customers to use poker machines in contravention of mandatory pre-commitment requirements.

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Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate Tim Costello spoke to the Eastern Melburnian about his disappointment with the lack of action so far and how he still holds out hope for change.

What has been the response?

Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate Tim Costello said he and his colleagues were “very worried” Victoria’s trial would take the same form as a trial in New South Wales last year. Costello described the latter as a “faux trial” as it was an opt-in system, leading to low uptake and a lack of quality data.

“It showed them nothing,” he told the Eastern Melburnian.