Prime Minister Julia Gillard is considering using technology to tackle problem gambling and fulfil a deal with anti-pokies campaigner, independent MP Andrew Wilkie.

Counsellors on the Border have tentatively backed the plan, saying anything to stop gamblers blowing too much money on the pokies is worth considering.

But club executives say the system, which requires punters to carry a USB memory stick with their fingerprints, was dangerous and would drive away recreational users.

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SS & A Club chief Tim Levesque said the proposed regime, known as mandatory pre-commitment, was a “knee-jerk reaction” to win support in the Parliament.

“It’s just pie in the sky and a ludicrous thing that (Ms Gillard’s) proposed,” he said.

“I wouldn’t give my fingerprint and I don’t think other people would either.

“Responsible gambling is very important but we’ve got to do it the right way and not just to get votes.”

Commercial Club Albury president Barry Edmunds said the proposal would be detrimental to the industry, with estimates it could cost billions of dollars every year.

“It’s an invasion of your privacy and I’m not in favour of it at all,” he said.

“I just hope it doesn’t come in.”

But Gateway Community Health Service gamblers help counsellor David Rosewarne said it could be an option for punters who want to participate in controlled gambling.

“Any tool that is going to maybe reduce the impact for people that have trouble with gambling is worth a look and worth investigating,” he said.

St David’s Care gambling counsellor Barry Prater said his organisation was interested in hearing more details about how the fingerprinting would work but until then couldn’t make any comment.

Ms Gillard has promised to introduce mandatory pre-commitment by 2014.

Options include smartcards that impose daily limits for gamblers or a USB stick carrying fingerprints, also with a daily cap.