Tackling the “scourge of problem gambling”: Monash steps away from gaming trial

The council’s decision to retract its endorsement of the trial follows the Alliance for Gambling Reform withdrawing its support earlier this week.

Matthew Sims
August 27, 2025

Monash Council has joined the exodus of those opposed to the Victorian government’s trial of carded play on poker machines.

At the council meeting on Tuesday, August 26, the council approved a motion to withdraw its support for the trial and advocated for the state government to reinstate a mandatory pre-commitment pilot, among other measures.

According to the state government, the test of the new YourPlay technology will run from September to November across 43 venues in the Monash, Greater Dandenong and Ballarat LGAs.

“A complete waste of time”: Anti-pokie advocates fold from gaming trial over mounting delays

In 2024/25, gamblers across the Monash LGA lost more than $126 million across 15 venues, representing the eighth largest loss across the state.

Last-minute pull-out

Monash councillor Stuart James said without fully confronting gambling harm and the health impacts it has on communities – including increases in youth suicide, violence against women and children and mental health issues – the government was failing to protect the people.

“While the government’s addiction to the $2.28 billion in tax revenue is evident through the lack of genuine progress on pokie reform and gambling reform more generally…it dwarfs the cost of $14.1 billion in annual costs to the community,” he told the chamber.

“Governments at all levels can and must do more to deal with the scourge of problem gambling.”

One of two votes against the motion was mayor Paul Klisaris, who said he was “troubled” by the part of the motion which would withdraw the council’s support for the trial.

“I think we need to be in the game,” he told the chamber.

“A profound social injustice”: Gambling victims playing a losing game

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 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.

In a statement to the Eastern Melburnian, a Victorian Government spokesperson said it would “continue to work hand in glove with the industry and stakeholders on this”.