Here are some suggestions. I don't expect governments which are by now hooked on the money the pokies are pulling in to take these seriously.

1. Machines should be silent. Let's get rid of the repetitive and different sounds which create an atmosphere of winning. Players all look at someone when a particular tune is played because that tune means "big winner." I've also noticed players leave a machine where the sound is not working and go to one with sound.

2.If a player bets 10 and receives back 20 the machine has written on it win 20. That should be made win 10 - the actual profit. If a player bets 10 and receives back 0 the machine has written on it win 0. That should be made lose 10. Let's actually remind players as they play that thay are actually losing rather than winning.

3.All non winning combinations should be programmed to appear in line with their true chances. So four out of five in a line should be made to appear the right statistical amount. They appear much more often than the correct odds of it happening and are designed to make players keep betting because there was nearly a big collect.

4. True odds for all payouts should appear. Eg if a line of three pays even money the true odds should be next to the payout - 5/1 or worse?