But by inserting a Crown Rewards loyalty card — a card able to be obtained by anyone over the age of 18 — the machine can spin more than twice every second and enable what is effectively non-stop play.

The card requires punters to set a time and a loss limit,although critics say these limits can be set extremely high and are not enforced.

“Poker machines,already dangerous products,are being turbo-charged with the knowledge and consent of this government,” said Charles Livingstone,a gambling researcher with Monash University’s school of public health.

“Because of the government’s facilitation of these practices,they are encouraging gambling in the most irresponsible way imaginable.”

According to gambling experts,regulated spin rates are intended to ensure each spin of a poker machine is a separate and distinct action,giving gamblers pause to consider the results of their previous bet before betting again.

“When the machine is on continuous operation,there is no chance at all to reflect on what you’re doing,” Dr Livingstone said. “You’re just pouring money down the sink at a rate that is probably beyond comprehension.”

Crown said it operated its poker machines in accordance with the laws and approvals it had been granted by the gambling regulator.

We are firmly of the view that Crown is a world leader in the provision of responsible gaming initiatives.

Crown spokeswoman

Crown said it was one of the country’s largest tourism operators,but recognised “some of our customers have difficulties with gambling,and that’s why we invest so heavily in our responsible gaming programs and services”.

“We are firmly of the view that Crown is a world leader in the provision of responsible gaming initiatives and our employees are extensively trained to respond to and assist those with potential gambling issues,” a spokeswoman said.

“Any suggestion byThe Age that Crown is trying to encourage problem gambling is wrong and highly defamatory.”

Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam has called on government leaders to “close these loopholes” urgently.

“Crown has been given special exemptions,special treatment,to operate these machines that would be illegal anywhere else in Victoria,” she said.

“At a time when the government is talking about harm reduction and harm minimisation,we’ve got words on the one side and practice on the other,completely in contradiction.”

Ms Ratnam said only the government had the “power and capability” to change the legislation,“and they shouldn’t wait any longer”.

The state government said although recent legal changes had expanded the area of the casino in which Crown could operate unrestricted machines,there had been no change in the overall number of machines permitted.

The ASX-listed Crown has been under increasing scrutiny over its 2500 poker machines,and,in April,was hit with a record $300,000 fine from Victoria’s gambling regulator for making unauthorised alterations to a number of gaming machines.

The company is separately under investigation after federal MP Andrew Wilkie referred footage to the regulator showing small Crown-branded picks allegedly being used to jam down pokies buttons in the casino,permitting non-stop spins and allowing punters to play multiple machines at once.

In response to questions about Crown's unrestricted pokies,the VCGLR said gamblers could only access the special functions if they set pre-commitment betting limits through the YourPlay system,which"empowers players to make informed decisions about their gaming machine play".

"At the casino,a person can have YourPlay activated on Crown Melbourne's loyalty card,"a spokeswoman said.

Crown did not respond to questions about whether there were any safeguards to detect potentially problematic gambling behaviour when casino patrons used their swipe cards to access unrestricted poker machines,or whether gaming-floor staff asked questions about gamblers’ financial situations before setting pre-commitment loss limits on their cards.

The ex-Crown employee,featured in the two-minute video filmed by anti-pokies campaigners Bad Bets Australia,said Crown staff did not ask gamblers such questions. When he went to the casino as a punter,he said,a gaming attendant had suggested he lift his weekly limit from $1000 to $400,000.

“It’s not responsible,that’s what it comes down to … If Crown was really worried about problem gambling,they wouldn’t have these machines,but all they are worried about is making a dollar.”

Michael O’Neil,an associate professor at Adelaide University who examined responsible gambling practices across the nation’s 13 casinos,said his research found that the “unrestricted” pokies mode had the potential to “increase player losses and contribute to the onset of problem gambling”.

“The thing about playing unrestricted machines is that some people given their life circumstances or vulnerability,throw all checks and balances aside,” he said.

“They can gamble very aggressively and very quickly regret it.”

Do you know more? Email nick.toscano@fairfaxmedia.com.au