Ending pub and club gaming exemptions is a step forward in reducing gambling harm for NSW residents

The NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS), the peak body for social services in the state, has welcomed a move to end outdated exemptions for hundreds of poker machine venues as a measure to reduce the harm inflicted by gambling.

The state government has announced it will revoke the outdated exemptions that allowed more than 670 venues to continue operating their gaming machines, giving them until March 2026 to adapt to the change requiring a mandated shutdown between 4am and 10am.

NCOSS CEO, Cara Varian, said it would be a positive move, particularly for locations already in high areas of disadvantage.

“Vulnerable communities exposed to the growing social and economic costs of problem gambling will now have a buffer where these venues will close their gaming rooms to comply with the mandatory six-hour shutdown period.

“The government’s own research found 70 percent of people gambling between 4am and 10am were considered high or moderate risk gamblers. Gambling is a high-risk activity that disproportionately affects people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Poker machines are tearing apart families and communities and reinforcing cycles of disadvantage in NSW more than anywhere else in the country,” Ms Varian said.

While supporting the change, which is the first review of the exemptions in 20 years, Ms Varian said the state still has a long way to go in seriously reducing gambling harm in communities across the state.

“Earlier this year, a NSW Auditor-General report found that pubs and clubs in NSW were failing to deliver meaningful harm minimisation outcomes. In fact, despite a forfeiture scheme introduced in 2021, the number of poker machines in NSW has actually increased.

“The solutions are on the table. We urge the state government to implement them and protect those most at risk.”

NCOSS is urging the NSW Government to set clear, measurable targets to minimise the harm of gaming in NSW. Key recommendations include:

● Mandatory shutdown of poker machines between midnight and 10am

● Full implementation of recommendations from the Independent Panel on Gaming Reform

● Full implementation of recommendations from the NSW Auditor-General report

● Improved public reporting and data transparency at venue level, including machine use and gambling harm

● An independent review into the social and economic impact of poker machines in NSW

Media enquiries: Bron Matherson, 0438 844 765