There's been fiery debate over plans to ban pokie machines with clubs claiming there aren't enough problem gamblers for it to work.
There are almost 300,000 people with a gambling problem in Australia and 40 per cent of all money put through poker machines come from their wallets.
Family First is pushing for radical changes – they’re trying to ban the machines everywhere except in casinos and at racetracks.
It’s a move the party says could cut the problem gambling figures in half.
But hotels are fighting the plan, telling a Senate committee problem gamblers are in the minority and 50,000 jobs will go if pokies are banned from clubs altogether.
David Bell from the Australian Bankers’ Association says a proposed restriction on ATM withdrawals, which is also proposed in the bill, won't just hurt problem gamblers.
“If you impose a one hundred dollar a day limit new technology is going to have to be put into place, that doesn’t come cheap,” he told LIVENEWS.com.au.
“That could cost hundreds of millions of dollars right across the industry and that cost will have to be covered by banks and, ultimately, their customers.”
