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%.
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.
Essential Report, Federal Government, Gambling Reform, pokie players, pokies, Polling
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?
| 18 Apr | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 65% | 67% | 80% | 59% | 78% |
| Total oppose | 21% | 25% | 15% | 34% | 9% |
| Strongly support | 32% | 34% | 44% | 27% | 43% |
| Support | 33% | 33% | 36% | 32% | 35% |
| Oppose | 12% | 13% | 9% | 18% | 7% |
| Strongly oppose | 9% | 12% | 6% | 16% | 2% |
| Don’t know | 13% | 9% | 6% | 7% | 12% |
The strong support for the Government’s “pokies” legislation has changed little since this question was last asked in April. 67% support (up 2%) and 21% oppose (up 4%) the proposal.
Voters of all parties support the proposed legislation – although support from Liberal/National voters was somewhat lower at 59%.
Support is strongest from younger respondents – 73% of those aged under 35 support the proposal compared to 66% of those aged 35-54 and 61% of those aged 55+.
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.