Independent groups vying for seats in the upcoming ACT election have joined calls for the territory to ban political donations from the gambling industry.
The calls come following a heated debate between Labor and the Greens this week, which gambling harm reduction advocates have labelled as "saddening and disheartening".
Canberra Gambling Reform Alliance co-chair Jeremy Halcrow said there had been a series of broken promises this Assembly term on measures to reduce gambling harm.
The Legislative Assembly did pass laws this week to stop the operation of poker machines between 2am and 10am each day and to reduce the number of licenses to 3500.
Independents for Canberra leader Thomas Emerson said further change was needed and his party supported a ban on political donations from the gambling.
"We're not confident real reform will be delivered in the next term of government without first breaking existing ties with vested interests," he said.
"It's become clear that if we want to tackle gambling harm in the ACT, we need to start by following NSW in banning political donations from the gambling industry."
The group supports a ban on direct donations from gambling operators or industry interested and a related ban on the flow of donations through investment vehicles.
Under the proposal, the 1973 Foundation, the Labor Party's investment vehicle, would not be able to support the party.
Independents for Canberra's policy has followed a call from Strong Independents, with candidate for Kurrajong Peter Strong saying clubs associated with the Labor party, such as the Canberra Labor Club, should get rid of all their poker machines.
"Can the major parties set the example we all need? If they had gumption, there would be less poker machines in our city - a good thing. They don't have gumption - just vested interests," Mr Strong said.
The Greens attempted to introduce amendments requiring Labor to cut its ties with the Canberra Labor Club, which operates poker machines, but the amendment was ruled unconstitutional.
The Canberra Labor Club has a short-term objective to "promote and support the Australian Labor Party" but Labor has not received cash donations from the club for several years.
This week Labor withdrew amendments to legislate a steeper cut to poker machine numbers in the ACT, in a rush of last-minute horse trading before the end of the parliamentary term.
Labor backbencher Marisa Paterson said she withdrew the amendments to cut poker machine numbers to 1000 machines by 2045 because support from the Greens was not assured.
But the Greens claimed they had advised Labor they would back the amendments, after a months-long political stoush over the future of gaming machine regulation.
Canberra Gambling Reform Alliance co-chair Kate Seselja hit out at Labor described the debate as a "complete farce".
"Labor blamed its failure to move their own amendment on a lack of agreement between the political parties. But the Greens' support for a substantial reduction in EGM licenses has been publicly known for over a month," she said.
"The simplest explanation is that Labor got the outcome it always intended - product differentiation against the Greens at the election."
Labor, Greens and the Liberals all agreed to an independent inquiry into the club industry.
- Support is available: National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858; Lifeline 13 11 14.
