Australian Gambling Minister, Paul Caica, has been urged to introduce a smartcard system to deal with gambling problems. Caica said that he wouldn't rule anything out when it comes to limiting gambling using the smartcards.

The smartcard system impose spending limits on gamblers and track their poker and gambling machine habits. Michael Wright, Caica's predecessor rejected the proposal last july, saying the costs of such plan were unknown and the benefits are unproven.

Garry Raymond, Salvation Army gambling counselor, said that the smartcard system has a lot of potential to reduce problem gambling and Ian Horne, Australian Hotels Association general manager, said that although the proposal was already been rejected by the Government, the AHA will agree to discuss it further.