The New South Wales Government has announced its most comprehensive package of gaming reforms to date, introducing stronger harm minimisation measures, tighter advertising restrictions and tougher oversight of both land-based and online gambling.
The reforms, which fulfil a key election commitment by the Minns Government, include a statewide exclusion register supported by mandatory facial recognition technology at gaming room entrances, allowing self-excluded patrons to be identified across all hotels and clubs with gaming machines.
A third-party exclusion scheme will also be introduced, enabling family members and others to seek exclusion orders in certain circumstances, while gaming-related VIP programmes will be abolished.
To further reduce the number of poker machines across the state, the Government will increase the forfeiture rate for gaming machine entitlements from one in three to one in two. A new "sinking cap" will ensure permanently forfeited entitlements reduce the statewide limit over time, alongside tighter rules governing entitlement transfers.
The package also targets gambling advertising and marketing. Gambling promotions will be banned on all NSW Government and council-owned assets, while operators will no longer be permitted to send unsolicited marketing messages by phone, email or text without prior consent. New transparency requirements will also apply to affiliates and social media influencers promoting gambling products.
As part of a longer-term strategy, the Government will upgrade the Centralised Monitoring System over the next two years to support future account-based gaming, enabling venues to offer registered player accounts rather than anonymous machine play.
The reforms also include plans for a dedicated state strategy to tackle online gambling harm, backed by stronger enforcement powers, tougher penalties and additional offences targeting illegal operators.
The Government said the package was developed following recommendations from multiple reviews, including the Independent Panel for Gaming Reform and the NSW Crime Commission's inquiry into money laundering through gaming machines.
Around AU$95.2m (US$68.3m) will be invested over four years to implement the reforms, including an additional AU$20m for the Responsible Gambling Fund to expand support services. The Government also plans to work with clubs and hotels to diversify revenue streams beyond gaming through hospitality, live entertainment and events.
The reforms will be funded through a AU$95.2m investment over four years
