Research that shows allowing fewer poker machines has not reduced problem gambling in the ACT demonstrates a scheme is needed to better limit gamblers' losses, the ACT Greens leader says.
Shane Rattenbury said he was hopeful the election would provide a "reset" to the debate over poker machine policy. The issue had exposed a deep divide between the Greens and Labor, which ended the parliamentary year at loggerheads.
"All the political parties here simply have a responsibility to get on and find a solution on this issue. This research will certainly help inform that conversation," Mr Rattenbury said.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr seized on the researchers' finding that a steeper cut to the number of poker machines in use in the ACT would have an impact on gambling harm.
"That is entirely consistent with the policy that Labor has put forward. In fact, we're proposing to go further than the authors of that paper have suggested," Mr Barr said.
The paper said machines would likely need to be reduced to 2000 in the territory before losses fell; Labor has promised to cut machines to 1000 by 2045.
Mr Rattenbury, who has been Gaming Minister this term, said: "People who gamble and their families are being harmed every day in this community right now. We need to get on and put in place the measures that are going to have an impact before 2044."
The Greens have pushed for the introduction of a monitoring system for poker machines, which they say provides the technology to introduce stronger harm reduction schemes, including limits on the amount gamblers can lose across venues.
Labor has objected to the monitoring system on the grounds of cost and that ACT-wide limits could be circumvented by gamblers travelling to nearby venues in NSW.
The paper published by the Australian National University found cuts to the number of poker machines in the ACT have not reduced money lost to the machines, meaning the policy has not reduced problem gambling in the capital.
Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee on Wednesday said the Liberals would need to consider the research, but talked up her party's links to the clubs sector.
"We have been the only party that has supported and valued the contribution that the clubs in the community make to Canberra," Ms Lee said.
While she said there was more that could be done to reduce gambling harm, she did not offer specific policies.
"What we don't want is to demonise our clubs and basically throw the baby out with the bath water and ignore all of the positive contributions that our clubs make to our community," she said.
A Canberra Times analysis in May showed losses incurred by poker machine players had soared despite the government's policy of cutting machines.
In 2016, a power sharing deal struck between Labor and the Greens included a policy to reduce the number of poker machines in the ACT from 5000 to around 4000 by 2020.
The parties agreed in their 2020 power-sharing deal to cut poker machines to 3500 machines by July 1, 2025.
But there was no evidence the cut to poker machine numbers had reduced spending on the electronic gaming machines, with the remaining machines more heavily used.
