gamblers, Gambling, Gambling Reform, mandatory pre-commitment, Mandatory Pre-commitment Trial, poker machines, pokies, Pre-commitment Trial
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the Government’s proposal to conduct a trial of mandatory pre-commitment for poker machines which will require gamblers to set limits on how much they can lose?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total approve | 58% | 69% | 49% | 82% |
| Total disapprove | 29% | 20% | 40% | 12% |
| Strongly approve | 22% | 28% | 17% | 33% |
| Approve | 36% | 41% | 32% | 49% |
| Disapprove | 16% | 12% | 22% | 9% |
| Strongly disapprove | 13% | 8% | 18% | 3% |
| Don’t know | 13% | 12% | 11% | 5% |
58% said they approved the Government’s proposal to conduct a trial of mandatory pre-commitment for poker machines and 29% disapproved.
Labor voters (69%) and Greens voters (82%) showed high approval and Liberal/National voters were more likely to approve (49%) than disapprove (40%).
These figures indicate a slightly lower approval of the trial than for the introduction of mandatory commitment – last week’s survey showed 62% support and 25% opposition to the mandatory commitment proposal.
Gambling, Gambling Reform, mandatory pre-commitment, poker machine players, poker machines, pokies, Polling, polls, problem gambling
Q. Do you support or oppose the mandatory pre-commitment proposal to address problem gambling which will require poker machine players to set limits on how much they can lose?
| 18 Apr 2011 | 12 Sept 2011 | 10 Oct 2011 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 65% | 67% | 61% | 62% | 71% | 53% | 77% |
| Total oppose | 21% | 25% | 30% | 25% | 17% | 35% | 15% |
| Strongly support | 32% | 34% | 29% | 27% | 32% | 21% | 38% |
| Support | 33% | 33% | 32% | 35% | 39% | 32% | 39% |
| Oppose | 12% | 13% | 15% | 16% | 11% | 22% | 6% |
| Strongly oppose | 9% | 12% | 15% | 9% | 6% | 13% | 9% |
| Don’t know | 13% | 9% | 9% | 14% | 12% | 12% | 9% |
62% of respondents said they support the proposal for mandatory pre-commitment for poker machines and 25% oppose. This represents a small drop in opposition since this issue was last polled in October 2011 – but a similar level of support.
A majority of all voter and demographic groups supported the proposal.
Support for the proposal in NSW was 52% with 34% opposed, in Queensland 54%/30% and in Victoria 71%/16%.
Casinos, Essential Report, Gambling, Gambling Regulation, horse racing, Online gambling, poker machines, Polling
Q. For each of the following forms of gambling, which do you think need more or less regulation?
| Needs more regulation | Needs less regulation | Current regulation is about right | Don’t know | Needs more regulation 27 Apr 11 | ||
| Online gambling in general | 67% | 4% | 17% | 12% | 68% | |
| Poker machines | 52% | 5% | 35% | 8% | 62% | |
| Casinos | 47% | 4% | 40% | 9% | 53% | |
| Betting on sport e.g. football, cricket | 52% | 4% | 34% | 10% | 46% | |
| Betting on horse racing | 35% | 5% | 51% | 9% | 37% | |
| Lotto | 15% | 6% | 70% | 9% | 20% |
More than half the respondents think there needs to be more regulation of online gambling (67%), poker machines (52%) and betting on sport (52%).
Support for more regulation of poker machines has dropped 10% since this question was last asked in April.
By vote, 67% of Greens voters, 61% of Labor voters and 43% of Liberal/National voters support more regulation of poker machines. 44% of Liberal/National voters think current regulation is about right, compared to 28% of Labor voters and 25% of Greens voters. There are no substantial differences by age, gender or income.
Essential Report, Gambling, melbourne cup, Polling
Q. Will you be placing a bet on the Melbourne Cup?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Yes | 40% | 42% | 43% | 42% |
| No | 44% | 44% | 41% | 42% |
| Don’t know | 16% | 14% | 16% | 16% |
Although only 22% have a high or moderate interest in horse racing, 40% say they will be placing a bet on the Melbourne Cup.
Those most likely to place a bet were aged 35-54 (45%) and full-time workers (49%). Men and women were equally likely to place a bet.
ER, Essential Report, Gambling, gambling reforms, poker machines, pokies, Pokies Legislation
Q. The Federal Government has proposed gambling reforms which include “pre-commitment” technology that will require pokies players to have a card registered to their name and pre-programmed to prevent them losing more than a set amount in a 24-hour period. Do you support or oppose this measure?
| 18 Apr 2011 | 12 Sept 2011 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 65% | 67% | 61% | 73% | 52% | 82% |
| Total oppose | 21% | 25% | 30% | 21% | 41% | 10% |
| Strongly support | 32% | 34% | 29% | 38% | 20% | 53% |
| Support | 33% | 33% | 32% | 35% | 32% | 29% |
| Oppose | 12% | 13% | 15% | 13% | 20% | 5% |
| Strongly oppose | 9% | 12% | 15% | 8% | 21% | 5% |
| Don’t know | 13% | 9% | 9% | 6% | 7% | 8% |
The majority of respondents support the proposed gambling reforms to include pre-commitment technology on pokies machines around Australia.
However, support for the reform has fallen 6 points to 61% this week, with opposition climbing from 25% to 30% at the same time.
Greens voters are the most likely to support the reform (82%) followed by Labor voters (73%). Whilst Coalition voters were the least likely to do so, the majority of them nonetheless support the reforms (52%).
Looking at the responses by age, respondents aged 18-24 are the most likely to support the reforms (74%) whilst those aged 55-64 are the most likely to oppose them (42%).
Looking are responses by state and territory, respondents in NSW are the most likely to oppose the reforms, with 37% stating they are either strongly opposed or opposed to the proposed legislation.
ER, Essential Report, Gambling, poker machines, pokies, Pokies Reform, Social Cost
Q .From what you have read or heard, please select the sum of money from the list below that you think reflects the social cost of problem gamblers in Australia each year?
| Total | Support Pokies Reform * | Oppose Pokies Reform | ||
| $10 million | 7% | 7% | 9% | |
| $100 million | 19% | 19% | 22% | |
| $1 billion | 18% | 20% | 13% | |
| $5 billion | 14% | 18% | 9% | |
| $10 billion | 8% | 11% | 5% | |
| Don’t know | 33% | 25% | 42% | |
| *Aggregate figures have been used for Support/Oppose pokies legislation by combining strongly support with support and strongly oppose with oppose. | ||||
The most common response amongst respondents was ‘don’t’ know’ (33%). Out of the figures from which respondents could choose, the most common response was $100 million (19%) and $1 billion (18%).
Fourteen percent answered correctly, estimating the social cost to be approximately $5 billion[1].
Those who support the pokies reform are more likely to guess the social cost to be high with 18% estimating it to be $5 billion and 11% estimating it to be $10 billion.
Those opposed to the reforms were less likely to estimate the social cost to be high, with only 9% believing it to be $5 billion and 5% believing it to be $10 billion.
Betting, Casinos, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Gambling, Gambling Regulation, Lotto, Online gambling, poker machines, Polling, polls, regulation
Q. For each of the following forms of gambling, which do you think need more or less regulation?
| Needs more regulation | Needs less regulation | Current regulation is about right | Don’t know | |
| Online gambling in general | 68% | 4% | 16% | 12% |
| Poker machines | 62% | 5% | 24% | 9% |
| Casinos | 53% | 4% | 32% | 11% |
| Betting on sport e.g. football, cricket | 46% | 4% | 36% | 14% |
| Betting on horse racing | 37% | 4% | 47% | 13% |
| Lotto | 20% | 4% | 65% | 11% |
About two thirds of respondents think there should be more regulation of online gambling (68%) and poker machines (62%). 53% think that casinos need more regulation.
Differences by voting intention were –
EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, gamblers, Gambling, Gambling Reform, Network 10, Network Ten, poker machines, pokie players, pokies, Polling, polls
Q. The Federal Government has proposed gambling reforms which include “pre-commitment” technology that will require pokie players to have a card registered to their name and pre-programmed to prevent them losing more than a set amount in a 24-hour period. Do you support or oppose this measure? (Question commissioned by Network Ten)
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Men | Women | Age
18-34 |
Aged
35-54 |
Aged 55+ | |
| Total support | 65% | 76% | 62% | 75% | 66% | 65% | 69% | 66% | 60% |
| Total oppose | 21% | 16% | 28% | 16% | 23% | 19% | 12% | 21% | 32% |
| Strongly support | 32% | 42% | 26% | 42% | 31% | 33% | 32% | 34% | 28% |
| Support | 33% | 34% | 36% | 33% | 35% | 32% | 37% | 32% | 32% |
| Oppose | 12% | 10% | 15% | 11% | 11% | 13% | 8% | 11% | 18% |
| Strongly oppose | 9% | 6% | 13% | 5% | 12% | 6% | 4% | 10% | 14% |
| Don’t know | 13% | 8% | 10% | 8% | 11% | 16% | 18% | 13% | 9% |
Two thirds (65%) of respondents support The Federal Government’s proposed gambling reforms which include “pre-commitment” ” technology that will require pokie players to have a card registered to their name and pre-programmed to prevent them losing more than a set amount in a 24-hour period and 21% oppose.
Support is consistently above 60% across all voter and demographic groups. The highest support is from Labor voters (76%), Greens voters (75%) and those aged under 35 (69%). By income, support ranges from 61% for those on $600-$1,000 pw to 70% for those earning $1,600+ pw.