Two-year ban on new poker machines

No new poker machines will be allowed in Queensland for another two years.

Fair Trading Minister Peter Lawlor will announce the extension of a moratorium brought in by the State Government in 2008 in Parliament on Thursday, ahead of a gambling report due out later this year.

The tough measure will not impact on plans by the Brisbane Lions to build a pokies palace with up to 280 gaming machines in the state's southeast but the club will have to source the machines from existing ones within the region.

Mr Lawlor said hotel pokies were capped at 19,310 and club pokies at 24,705, but the moratorium was due to end this week.

"It is unlikely the hotel industry will be significantly disadvantaged by the extension of the moratorium as the demand for gaming machines has slowed significantly in the last couple of years," he said.

"We understand the community concern over pokies and need to ensure they are distributed throughout Queensland responsibly."

Mr Lawlor said the Productivity Commission report on gambling was imminent.

"It is appropriate that the Government give thorough consideration to its recommendations before making further decisions that may affect the availability of gambling," he said.

Gaming machines were first introduced in Queensland in 1992 and in the past financial year, revenue for the state was estimated at more than half a billion dollars.

Logan City is considered Queensland's pokie capital and already has almost 2000 machines, which raked in more than $11 million last August.

The establishment of the Brisbane Lions' pokies palace at Springwood has been embroiled in controversy since its announcement but was given the green light by Logan City Council last year.

The Queensland Gaming Commission approved 200 pokie machines for the venue last month.

Mr Lawlor said problem gambling affected only 0.37 per cent of Queensland's adult population, according to the most recent household gambing survey.

The State Government funded community and non-profit groups to help stem the problem.

Published in the Courier Mail on 14 April.

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