A new draft report by the Australian government's Productivity Commission has called for the introduction of stronger measures to help tackle the issue of problem gamblers.

The recommendations, which are mainly aimed at 'pokies' - poker machine users, include a reduction in the amount gamblers can use through lower limits on how much money can be fed into machines and on how much can be wagered for each push of the button. More than AU$18bn (£10bn, US$16.7bn, €11.2bn) is currently spent on gambling in Australia and the study has claimed that problem gamblers account for around 15 per cent of regular gaming machine users.

Other measures include the ability for gamers to set their own limits on the amount of time and money spent on machines and limiting the amount of access to cash in gambling venues. Productivity Commission chair Gary Banks said: "Despite progress since our last report 10 years ago, there is considerably more that governments can do to make gaming machines a safer recreational pursuit."

The draft inquiry report will be subject to public hearings in late November and early December, before a final report is submitted to government by 26 February 2010.