But last week three federal MPs, in a welcome example of cross-party collaboration, initiated an action that could have useful results. They called on workers in the poker machine industry to become whistle-blowers and send them secret information about how the industry conducts its business.

The three politicians want secret information about methods industry uses to entrap gamblers so they can reveal it using parliamentary privilege.

Senator Nick Xenophon, Independent Senator Andrew Wilkie, and Greens senator Larissa Waters have dubbed their campaign “pokie-leaks”.

They want information such as how poker machines are designed to exploit vulnerable players, or how the industry influences political parties behind the scenes. They will then release the information in the Senate using parliamentary privilege, they said. They also promised to keep whistle-blowers’ identities protected at all times. 

Though the industry pushes a ‘gamble responsibly’ message, the truth is that the design of the machines, rather than personal responsibility, is the core problem. Waters said using parliamentary privilege was a way to shield whistle-blowers without involving complicated legislative provisions, which vary from state to state.

“We want to help the public realise that they’re being conned by poker machines”, said Senator Waters (Guardian Australia 27 September)

“The industry has a history of making big donations to the major political parties, and they’ve got a history of suing politicians who get in their way, so I’m under no illusions that this will be a walk in the park. Australians lost $1,241 per person on gambling in 2014-15, with poker machines the biggest cause of gambler losses at $11.6bn, an increase of 4.9% on the previous year.

 “Pokie-Leaks is an opportunity for those with inside information on rigged poker machines, illegal industry practices and dodgy donations to political parties to leak directly to the MPs under the protection of Parliamentary privilege. 

“If people have information about pokie industry scams and rip-offs which are hurting ordinary Australians, they can send them to me, Nick or Andrew to assist with our Parliamentary work.”

The politicians’ campaign is supported by the Alliance for Gambling Reform, a coalition of business people, academics and politicians who want greater restrictions on the industry.

Xenophon said his Adelaide office had recently received a USB anonymously with information that might expose how poker machines are programmed to make play more addictive.

“If you know something that needs to be revealed, tell us, and with parliamentary privilege, we can tell everyone. For too long, this predatory industry has relied on secret and harmful features, which are designed to be addictive,” Senator Xenophon said.

This is a very welcome initiative, for avoiding this kind of scrutiny is exactly why the gambling lobby donated hundreds of thousands to the old parties in the federal election. Until we get big money out of politics in Australia, the old parties will continue to serve their paymasters in the gambling lobby, and Australians will keep getting ripped off.