Coalition formed to fight for pokie reform

The fight against problem gambling has been ramped up, with leading campaigners vowing that poker machine reform will be achieved and clubs won't be able to stop it.

The Stop the Loss Coalition, a group of community organisations who have united to challenge the clubs' campaign of "misinformation", was launched in Sydney on Friday by Independent MP Andrew Wilkie, Senator Nick Xenophon and Reverend Tim Costello.

The campaign will drop one million copies of a letter outlining the argument for pokie reform into mailboxes in marginal seats across Australia from Sunday.

"My mother was visiting her local RSL every day. She lost around $100,000," Ilona, a GetUp! member says in the letter.

Senator Xenophon vowed that Stop the Loss was going to win.

"The clubs are threatening to spend $40 million on this campaign, well ... my taunt to the clubs is you can spend $400 million but you still can't win this.

"Because every Australian knows someone directly or indirectly that has been devastated by poker machine addiction," Senator Xenophon said.

Mr Costello, chair of the Churches Gambling Taskforce, said the campaign would strengthen the government's position on pokie reform.

"This is to change the winds so politicians can actually be strengthened, the prime minister, who has been committed to this, can be strengthened in actually following through on real reform," Mr Costello said.

He denied that the campaign was too little, too late.

"We have been assuming that this would go through; it's been a promise of the government.

"This (letter) is actually going to a million households, the voice of Australians are going to be heard."

Mr Wilkie said he was continuing to work towards the realisation of the agreement that he made with Julia Gillard before she became prime minister.

"I remain hopeful that the prime minister will honour the agreement she signed with me about 18 months ago.

"It is, after all, the reason why she is the prime minister."

Kate Roberts, from the Gambling Impact Society, said it was time the voices of community organisations and families were heard.

"For too long families have been losing relationships, houses, superannuation, people losing their jobs, people ending up behind bars.

"We are here to stop the loss ... we want to support our government in this and make sure our voices are heard."