Media - Nick Xenophon - Independent Senator for South Australia

Independent Senator for SA Nick Xenophon has welcomed the acceptance by all State and Federal Gambling Ministers that children should not be exposed to Gambling areas within venues. The agreement came at the last meeting of the Ministerial Council on Gambling in Brisbane.

If passed into law, the agreement will require a radical overhaul of almost every gambling venue in the country to ensure children are not exposed to the sites or sounds of poker machines or other forms of gambling.

“Children learn what they live,” Nick said. “The adoption of this principle shows that the States and the Federal government finally agree that children are harmed by exposure to adult behaviours like gambling.”

The Ministerial Council agreement follows the ‘Don’t Gamble with your Kids’ campaign launched by Senator Xenophon, anti-gambling activist the Reverend Tim Costello and founder of anti-poker machine websites PokieAct.org Paul Bendat.

The ‘Don’t Gamble with your Kids’ campaign was designed to outlaw all advertising, promotions and play areas aimed at attracting children to gambling venues and called for venues to be radically redesigned to ensure children were not exposed to the sights or sounds of poker machine gambling.

The Campaign involved the mail-out of a coffee table book to the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader and all State Premiers illustrating children’s play areas adjacent to poker machines in venues around the country, as well as venue advertising directly aimed at children.

Paul Bendat says the Ministerial Council decision is a good first step towards minimising some of the harm caused by poker machines.

“This important shift in thinking shows that state governments and the federal government are getting the message,” Paul said. “Too many venues make it way too easy for kids to see adults involved in what is clearly an adult practice.”

“The normalisation of gambling in the minds of children has to end,” Paul said.

Senator Xenophon says state governments must act immediately.

“I am calling on all state governments to immediately outline their timetables for ensuring all venues comply with the unanimously accepted principle,” Nick said.

“And if the state governments don’t immediately back their words up with actions I will call on the federal government to use its powers under the constitution to ensure laws are changed to protect children,” Nick said.

“Children are amongst the most vulnerable in our community,” Nick said. “They deserve our protection.”