Next month South Australia will begin testing electronic cards that allow users to designate a maximum amount of money they will be permitted to gamble on poker machines on a daily or weekly basis.
"We know that measures to assist gamblers to pre-commit how much money they plan to gamble is recognized as the most effective way of preventing problem gambling," said South Australia's Gambling Minister Paul Caica.
Developed by a South Australia company called Worldsmart Technology, the "J Cards" will be sold at four suburban hotels around Adelaide.
Caica says the government does not intend to introduce a compulsory system for the cards.