ACT Government backs down on poker machine note decision

The ACT Government has backed down over a decision to increase the dollar value of notes that gamblers can feed into poker machines.

Just before Christmas, the Government increased the note limit from $20 to $50, prompting concerns from welfare organisations that it would encourage problem gambling.

The move was heavily criticised by gambling researchers and charity groups described it as a "step backwards" on gambling reform.

But the Government defended the decision on Monday and denied it would increase gambling problems.

Now, in his first major backflip in the top job, ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said they had reversed the decision.

In a statement he said the Government was "committed to addressing the social impact of problem gambling within the territory".

"As a result of discussion within the community over the past few days, the Government has decided to withdraw the regulation which allowed $50 note acceptors on electronic gaming machines in the ACT, pending further work on practices in other states and implementation of cash input limits," Mr Barr said.

Mr Barr said the Government had done a lot to tackle problem gambling including a reduction in poker machine numbers.

"Last year, the Government agreed to a package of reform for the club industry in the ACT which would assist clubs to move away from a reliance on gaming machine revenue," he said.

"The package also contained a number of measures that are complementary in enhancing our approach to harm minimisation; chief amongst them is a significant reduction in the number of gaming machines in the territory.

"The package will enact the largest reduction in gaming machine numbers in the territory since self government."