<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Kate Seselja is leading the charge for radical </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/gambling" rel="" target="_blank" title="gambling reform"><span>gambling reform</span></a><span> in Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The mother-of-six and anti-gambling advocate is no stranger to the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/poker-machine-losses-costing-gamblers-1950-dollars-a-year-each-on-average/c748e81a-7230-4960-9d17-7b154b82fb35" rel="" target="_blank" title="neon lure of casinos."><span>neon lure of casinos.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Seselja overcame her own pokies addiction after losing around $500,000 over 15 years – which is why she is calling for national loss limits to be enforced on machines.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/meet-the-team/digital/april-glover#:~:text=%27Dicey%27%3A%20The%20ChatGPT%20caricature%20trend%20isn%27t%20as%20harmless%20as%20you%20may%20think" rel="" target="_blank" title="'Dicey': The ChatGPT caricature trend isn't as harmless as you may think"><strong><span>'Dicey': The ChatGPT caricature trend isn't as harmless as you may think</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/meet-the-team/digital/april-glover#:~:text=Sydney%20couple%20sold%20house%2C%20quit%20their%20jobs%20after%20feeling%20%27trapped%27%20in%20rat%20race" rel="" target="_blank" title="Sydney couple sold house, quit their jobs after feeling 'trapped' in rat race"><strong><span>Sydney couple sold house, quit their jobs after feeling 'trapped' in rat race</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She is pleading with the federal government to consider daily, monthly and yearly loss limits because "people's lives are at stake".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The machines do not discriminate. You could be poor, you could be rich. You could be male, you could be female – they cause immeasurable damage when you engage with them," Seselja told </span><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/" rel="" target="_blank" title="nine.com.au."><span>nine.com.au.</span></a></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/pokies-loss-limits-australia-call-to-enforce-mandatory-limits-reduce-gambling-harm/6470e5cb-b41e-47e6-bd10-9e7aa724e7f6" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We've been at a crisis point for decades.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We are outliers as a nation, experiencing the highest levels of gambling harm in the world, and poker machines are at the top of that list."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Alongside the organisation </span><a href="https://www.ghlee.org/" rel="" target="_blank" title="Gambling Harm Lived Experience Experts (GHLEE)"><span>Gambling Harm Lived Experience Experts (GHLEE)</span></a><span>, Seselja has launched a </span><a href="https://www.change.org/p/losslimitsnotlostlives-enforce-loss-limits-on-all-australian-poker-machines" rel="" target="_blank" title="Change.org petition"><span>Change.org petition</span></a><span> asking every state and territory to introduce loss limits.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Seselja has called for individiual losses to be capped at $100 per day, $500 per month and $5000 per year, which she said will "literally save lives".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The petition has already attracted close to 11,500 signatures.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Murray MP Helen Dalton was among the first politicians to throw her support behind Seselja's calls for a reform.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I don't think many Australians realise how much can be lost on poker machines so quickly," Dalton told nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Dalton said she believes most Australians would support loss limits.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If poker machine losses were limited, the machines would be about paying a small about of money for some entertainment, just like going to the movies," she added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"But right now, poker machines are about people losing everything [and] because of this [are] addictive and potentially deadly."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>Do you have a story? Contact</span></strong></em><span> </span><strong><em><span>reporter April Glover at</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="mailto:april.glover@nine.com.au" target="" title="april.glover@nine.com.au"><em><strong><span>april.glover@nine.com.au</span></strong></em></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Loss limits are aimed at reducing the risk of gambling addiction at the source, Seselja explained.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She said such legislation would have "absolutely" stopped her own addiction at age 18.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The fight to get the government's attention hasn't been easy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Seselja said profits are being prioritised over people.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's an uphill battle," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I've been in unpaid advocacy for a decade because people's lives are at stake.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I almost took my life in 2012 and I don't take that responsibility that I carry lightly."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Tasmanian government previously made plans to introduce cashless pokies cards with loss limits.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the roll-out was indefinitely paused after the state flagged a desire to work on a national solution.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://megwebb.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Deloitte_Electronic-Gaming-Machine-use-in-Tasmania_Dec-2025.pdf" rel="" target="_blank" title="A Deloitte report released last month"><span>A Deloitte report released last month</span></a><span> found the shelved proposal would have benefited the Tasmanian economy by $230 million by 2030 by decreasing demand on mental health services and the justice system.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The government has since proposed a ticketed poker machine system, capped at $200 per ticket and $100 per machine.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Some international jurisdictions have introduced loss limits, including Norway and Finland.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/pauline-hanson-policies-stance-on-immigration-housing-voting-record-explained/1a21d57d-cddd-4ba5-b1ce-0b564e205b79" rel="" target="_blank" title="As Pauline Hanson's popularity surges, what does her party really stand for?"><strong><span>As Pauline Hanson's popularity surges, what does her party really stand for?</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Victorian Greens have also lobbied for a $50 default limit on how much a person can lose in a 24-hour period.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Seselja is asking all Australian states and territories to join together for a national approach to address gambling harm.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's just horrific that this landscape has been allowed to continue to thrive in this country," she added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There's so much unnecessary human cost, because no one has the political strength to stand up to this predatory industry."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>There are many different ways to get help and information about gambling. You can visit the National Gambling Helpline or call on 1800 858 858.</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyond blue on 1300 22 4636.</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank" title=""><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>