The Tasmanian Gaming Commission is an independent body responsible for the regulation of gaming in Tasmania, established under the Gaming Control Act 1993.

The Commission is a three-person body whose members are:

• Mr Peter Hoult - Chairman
• Professor Kate Warner
• Ms Elizabeth Thomas

The Commission’s Operating Statement provides a clear, public declaration of the Commission’s responsibilities and strategic priorities. Click here to view a Word copy of the Commission’s Operating Statement.

Tasmanian Gaming Commission Strategic Plan

The Commission’s 2009 strategic planning process is underway. There are three particular uncertainties that must be accommodated in the development of the 2010-2013 strategic plan.

1. Gaming Control Act Amendment Bill 2009
This Bill is currently before the Tasmanian Parliament. The Bill contains amendments to the Act that, if passed, will give force to additional harm minimisation measures approved by the Government in July 2009 and these initiatives will drive much of the Commission’s work program for 2010. While many of the proposed initiatives are particular in nature, an amendment is included that clarifies that the Commission has an obligation to consider harm minimisation in the exercise of all its powers.

2. Whole of Government Policy
As part of its consideration in mid 2009 of additional harm minimization measures the Government recognised that there was a need for a more considered, whole of government approach to policy on gaming and its potential and actual harms. The Commission strongly supports this decision. To this end the Minister for Human Services is responsible for this policy formulation. Clearly the Commission will be engaged with this process as the Minister may adopt and may well have responsibility in 2010 for implementation of any changes recommended by the Minister to the Government.

3. Gambling: Draft Productivity Commission Report, October 2009
The Final Report of the Productivity Commission is scheduled for release in late February 2010. Should that Final Report reflect the content of the Draft Report then there will be significant pressure on all Australian jurisdictions to implement additional reforms to further minimise the harm caused to and by problem and at risk gamblers. The Commission is pleased to note that many of harm minimization measures proposed in the Draft Report reflect the directions taken in Tasmania and the focus by the Commission on the higher risk gaming modes, particularly EGMs. That is not to say that there will not be much more discussion engendered by the Final Report and particularly on the medium term option of introducing universal ‘smart card’ technology that would allow individuals to monitor their expenditure and for governments to more effectively exclude those who cannot manage their gambling habits from access to EGMs.