Premier Daniel Andrews has flagged he is open to gaming reform and the introduction of cashless cards for the state’s 30,000 pokies machines in a softening of his long-held resistance to the kind of changes that have emerged as a major election issue in NSW.

The Victorian premier did not make any policy commitments on Tuesday but gave his strongest indication yet that his government was not opposed to cashless gaming and that he was prepared to review and change the law if necessary.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has given his strongest indication yet he is open to further pokies reform. Credit:Simon Schluter

“For those for whom there is a real problem, a wicked problem [gambling addiction], we have to support them, and we always have and that’s why it’s highly regulated and that’s why we have made many changes,” Andrews said outside Parliament House.

“Will there never be any future changes? I wouldn’t rule that out; I wouldn’t say that. Will there always be those in the community who advocate and call for further and tougher rules? Of course there will be.”

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet this week said he would spend more than $340 million to overhaul his state’s gambling industry by making all poker machines in NSW cashless within five years, providing financial support for clubs and pubs to introduce the new technology and a regional transition fund.

Perrottet also extended an offer to Andrews to join him in enacting the new reforms to tackle what is a national problem.

“When NSW and Victoria go well, the entire country goes well,” he said.

Gambling reform has become a major flashpoint in the NSW election, with the Labor opposition pledging to cut the number of poker machines and impose a mandatory cashless gaming trial in a move to counter Perrottet’s proposed reforms.

Advocates and the Victorian Greens are hoping to apply similar levels of pressure on the Andrews government to follow in the footsteps of the NSW Coalition government. Andrews is regarded in business and Labor circles as a long-time friend of the liquor and gaming industry, and the premier has been accused by advocates of dragging his feet on critical reform.

In November, The Age revealed Gaming Minister Melissa Horne and the opposition’s gaming spokesman Danny O’Brien had both assured the powerful Community Clubs Victoria, which represents pubs, clubs and RSLs but excludes Crown Casino, that there would be no upcoming policy changes that eat into gaming machine revenue.

Reverend Tim Costello is hoping the spotlight will now turn to Victoria. Credit:Simon Schluter

Chief executive Andrew Lloyd said he had received “letters of comfort” ahead of the state election from both Labor and the Coalition, supporting the existing regulation of pub and club gaming.

Anti-gambling advocate Reverend Tim Costello welcomed the softening in Andrews’ position on cashless gaming and said the reform was long overdue and simpler to implement in Victoria.

He said all poker machine venues in Victoria had the capacity to move to cashless gaming, unlike NSW which needed to retrofit its machines to make the switch.

“Cashless card was a Labor initiative initially: it was Julia Gillard in 2012 as prime minister who sought to introduce what was called mandatory pre-commitments,” Costello said. “If for no other reason, the premier should do it because it was Labor policy. This is what deals with money laundering, and helps those living with gambling harm.”

Greens leader Samantha Ratnam said her party would pursue said the Andrews government had stymied reform efforts over the past eight years.

Ratnam said wholesale changes were needed in Victoria to overhaul the gambling industry, including the banning of political donations from the gambling lobby.

“We welcome the conversation that’s happening because of the NSW election, and we’ve certainly got plans afoot to advance some of the reforms that we’re seeing in NSW in Victoria,” she said.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto said he did not have plans to pursue cashless gaming, but would observe the outcomes of the reforms in NSW.

“We don’t have any plans in Victoria to match that; we have a very different system and culture in Victoria,” Pesutto said. “It’s not perfect, but it’s not NSW.”

In response to the Finkelstein royal commission, the Victorian government last term legislated the requirement of Crown’s pokie patrons to show ID, pre-commit to maximum pokie losses and face strict time limits on pokie gambling.

Experts, federal agency Austrac and Crown have warned that tougher rules for the casino alone would push problem gambling and money laundering in pubs and clubs.

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