In the Australian state of Victoria today is the start of Responsible Gambling Awareness Week (RGAW). During the week the Victorian Government will launch a number of new initiatives such as a new consumer information website which promotes responsible gambling messages and 20 new Gambler’s Help in-venue training positions. The week’s themes of knowledge, balance and control promote responsible behaviour at a personal and community level.

Venue operators are preparing for dramatic changes in how their businesses will operate in the new gaming structure. While the gaming operators, Tatts and Tabcorp, currently play a part in minimising harm and in responsible gambling support, changes from August 2012 mean venues will take over this vital role. From community and sporting clubs to RSL clubs, hotels and the big ALH Group, mandatory Codes of Conduct and Self-Exclusion Programs are being implemented in venues across Victoria and managers are coming up with best practice methods.

In April 2008 Victoria Premier John Brumby announced that leading gaming companies Tabcorp and Tattersall’s would lose their duopoly on nearly 30,000 gaming machines in the state. From August 2012 clubs and pubs in the state will own and operate their machines directly. To participate in the 2012 gaming industry, eligible clubs and hotels will need to obtain gaming machine entitlements. Under the new arrangements, one gaming machine entitlement enables the operation of one gaming machine for a period of 10 years starting in 2012.

Gaming machine entitlements were made available via a Pre-Auction Club Offer and via a Gaming Auction held over two stages. Stage One of the Gaming Auction was held via a secure internet site between Tuesday, 20 April 2010 and Tuesday, 4 May 2010. Stage Two was a series of bidding rounds held on Monday, 10 May 2010, using State provided consoles at the Former Melbourne Convention Centre. It has been said that last Monday’s auction could have made taxpayers up to $2 billion better off from the sale of the rights to operate Victoria's 27,500 poker machines located outside the casino. The government has revealed it made just $981 million from the pokies auction, far below expectations and what it could have made.

Many clubs picked up machines at bargain basement prices — $5500 for 10 years - but it is believed that this could bode well for the implementation of good problem gambling policies. Jason Dowling commented in WA Today, “While the auction was terrible economic policy and the Treasury boffins must be pulling their hair out, it was not terrible public policy.” However, this is not a view held by all and it remains to be seen whether the new machine regulations and Codes of Conduct will work in favour of limiting problem gambling. The state government is hoping that RGAW, supported by the gaming industry, will be an important component of its commitment to empower consumers and foster a responsible gambling culture in Victoria. (E-05.17.10)

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