Punters have raised concerns about pokies falsely advertising jackpots and the ability to discern gaming machines from outside of venues – punishable under ACT gaming regulations.
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In documents released to The Canberra Times under Freedom of Information laws, a "struggling addict" raised concerns he could make out gaming machines at the Ainslie Football & Social Club.
"I am trying to stay clean and exercise, but have to use the oval near my home but find seeing the machines and signs through the clubs [windows] is not helping with my situation," the anonymous complaint read.
The ACT's Gaming Machine Act says a licensee has committed an offence if a gaming machine or related equipment can be seen from outside their premises.
Authorities from the territory's gaming commission visited the club in October at both day and night and admitted they could make out the lighting of the machines and some related logos.
"[...] could see lights of the machines from the fence and through the logo in the frosting but you really had to look hard and it wasn't clear what the lights were for," one report read.
The ACT Gambling and Racing Commission decided no further action was needed, believing the club–having already frosted the windows and built up a hedge–had taken reasonable precautions.
When The Canberra Times visited the location, lights and logos from the machines could be made out from nearby Majura Oval over the top of the glass frosting.
Tops of the machines could be clearly seen through the club's windows on Angas Street as well.
In another complaint, one Canberran claimed a pokie machine at the Raiders Gungahlin Club was falsely advertising potentially winning combinations.
Using the 'Outback 88' machine, the complainant said he made a winning combination. When he raised it with floor staff, they also believed the complainant hadn't received their full payout.
However the duty manager, and later the manufacturer of the machine, said the complainant was wrong to think his was a winning combo.
Whilst the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission didn't believe the man had been paid incorrectly, it still told the manufacturer to more clearly identify winning combinations to players.
In a separate complaint from July at the Raiders Gungahlin Club, one couple said their machine had blacked out whilst playing a free spin on a $8900 machine.
They estimated they'd won around $400 before the black out. A technician fixed the machine, allowing the remaining free spins to play, but it did not win the jackpot.
The club gave the complainant the $397 they'd won before the blackout.
"We believe that at the time of the breakdown we were only half way through the free spins," the complainant said.
"We find it hard to believe that there were no more wins and that our chances of winning the jackpot had diminished."
The gambling commission told the couple because the machines jackpot was paid out at random there was no way to determine if they'd had a higher chance of winning.
