Compulsory pokies pre-commitment systems should be introduced across the country, the Australian Gambling Research Centre (AGRC) says.
A new discussion paper from the AGRC, part of the Federal Government's Institute of Family Studies, said the systems would require all pokies users to commit to a limit on their spending.
Dr Angela Rintoul, a research fellow at the AGCR, said a full pre-commitment system would be one that requires all gamblers to use an identifiable device, such as a card, in order to use a poker machine.
"And also to set a binding limit on the losses that they're willing to have on a poker machine," she said.
"They can also track time."
Dr Rintoul said New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia have already conducted small trials of pre-commitment systems.
Victoria introduced an optional pre-commitment system in 2015.
Research done by the AGCR showed that only about 1 per cent of gamblers would use a voluntary system.
Dr Rintoul explained that with that system, once a gambler hit their limit, they could choose to not use their card and continue gambling.
She said a pre-commitment card would make the limit binding, and help reduce losses.
"And to support people who are wanting to reduce their gambling expenditure, to really limit that and decide what level of loss is appropriate for them," she said.
Dr Rintoul said in 2010 there was "considerable debate around the issue", however it became evident that venue operators and owners were not interested in any pre-commitment systems.
"Ultimately if it's effective it will reduce revenue," she said.
"So this is an issue that we as a community need to consider what the appropriate level of regulation is."
'I was enveloped in the obsession'
Kate Sommerville, a former pokies addict from Melbourne, said when her addiction began she was gambling every day, using all of her salary on the pokies.
"I became mesmerised fairly quickly," she said.
"I think they're designed to draw you in, the flashing lights, the music, the spinning wheels.
"I lost the ability to participate in ordinary life, I became totally enveloped in the obsession.
"I lost an immense amount of money as well — hundreds of thousands of dollars."
Ms Sommerville said she felt had there been a pre-commitment system available when she was playing the pokies, she would have made use of it.
"Especially if it was compulsory, there was nothing like that when I started gambling," she said.
"Even early on in my gambling journey, I think when I was beginning to be worried about the expenditure, the losses, it would [have helped] me."
