The New South Wales Government will revoke long-standing exemptions that allowed more than 670 pokies venues to operate past the state's mandated 4am shutdown, marking one of the most significant regulatory shifts in the state's gambling landscape in two decades, as reported by The Guardian.
Gaming Minister David Harris said the exemptions were "no longer fit for purpose", noting that many had been granted on grounds such as tourism value or financial hardship. Some venues had been operating gaming rooms 24 hours a day. All affected pubs and clubs will have until 31 March to adjust to the standard shutdown requirement.
The decision comes amid sustained criticism from the Government's own independent advisory panel, a highly critical audit report and mounting political pressure from the Greens and Liberals. Research commissioned by the state found that gambling harm escalates sharply after midnight, with early-morning players significantly more likely to be high-risk.
Wesley Mission estimates that more than AU$1m (US$654,850) is lost to poker machines every hour in NSW, with AU$2.3bn lost between April and June, an 8.8% increase on the same period in 2024. Its chief executive, Stu Cameron, described the trend as "a public health catastrophe", calling for stronger intervention.
Venues that wish to retain their exemptions may appeal to the state regulator, although new eligibility criteria are expected to be considerably tougher. Around 20% of poker machine venues currently hold some form of exemption.
The NSW Greens have pushed for a stricter 2am shutdown, but the Government maintains that the 4am deadline remains appropriate. Harris dismissed claims that the Government had been slow to act, asserting that the removal of exemptions forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen harm-minimisation across the state's gambling sector.
State-funded data shows more than 70% of gamblers active between 4am and 10am are considered high or moderate risk
