Attacks on pokie reforms 'misleading'

17:33 AEST Sun Sep 25 2011

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Claims pokies reforms will impact on the ability of clubs to support AFL and rugby league teams are misleading, independent senator Nick Xenophon says.

The federal government's plans to adopt mandatory pre-commitment systems for high intensity poker machines have attracted strong opposition from registered clubs, and now the NRL and AFL plan to run advertisements against the changes in the lead up to their grand finals.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire's has described the reforms as a "footy tax".

Senator Xenophon said more than 100,000 Australians were affected by problem gambling and revenues generated by addiction could not be called entertainment.

"You really need to wonder why AFL clubs need to rely so heavily on this money," he said.

"How can you call it a form of entertainment when you can lose literally $1200 an hour or more on current poker machines?"

Senator Xenophon said it was a major social issue and "the public support these reforms."

"The issue is the vested interests of the industry," he told reporters in Adelaide on Sunday.

"This is about making an unsafe product much safer."

The scheme put forward by Andrew Wilkie to limit gamblers' losses was part of Prime Minister Julia Gillard's deal with the Tasmanian independent in exchange for his support of the Labor minority government.

Senator Xenophon says Mr Wilkie's threat to withdraw his support for the government if the reforms don't go ahead should not be underestimated.

"This is a man who will stick to his principles on this and is not budging," he said.

Mr Wilkie on Sunday said he was facing possible defamation action from Clubs Australia and Clubs NSW regarding comments he made on September 1.

Senator Xenophon, a barrister, says he is providing pro-bono legal advice to Mr Wilkie over the threat.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8351711/attacks-on-pokie-reforms-misleading

"The lawyers for the poker-machine industry will be getting a letter from me over the next few days," he told journalists in Adelaide on Sunday.

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