Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens Gaming spokesperson
The odds are already stacked against patrons who play the pokies, and with those machines malfunctioning the losses are set to be even greater.
The latest machine malfunction debacle comes on the back of almost $180 million worth of losses by Tasmanians on the pokies over the last year.
As a result of the deal struck with Federal Hotels, State coffers are being boosted to the detriment of the Tasmanian public.
Without independent oversight of the machines, that public can’t even be sure their own government isn’t stacking the deck against them.
In an industry which regulates itself, and with only 6 government auditors in the State, the Liberal government must urgently assess the need for an overhaul, and the establishment of an independent regulatory body to ensure at least some level of fairness for patrons.