The New South Wales government unveiled its NSW Gaming Reform package on Tuesday, emphasizing a data-driven method to enhance player protection.
Led by Premier Chris Minns, the government is fulfilling a "key election commitment" aimed at increasing protections against gambling-related harm while enforcing stricter regulations on the marketing of gambling activities.
The proposed reforms stem from the recommendations made by the Independent Panel for Gaming Reform, alongside extensive discussions with stakeholders and community input in New South Wales.
Key findings from the NSW Gambling Survey 2024 revealed that 3.1% of adults in the state face moderate gambling risks, and 0.9% are classified as high-risk gamblers.
David Harris, the minister for gaming and racing in New South Wales, characterized the reform package as a comprehensive and well-researched initiative that combines enhanced regulation, technology advancements, and improved safeguards to mitigate gambling harm, all while supporting the industry.
The government plans to allocate AU$95.2 million (US$68.1 million) over the next four years to implement these reforms.
"These are sensible reforms developed in collaboration with industry players, harm minimization advocates, and privacy experts to combat gambling harm while sustaining the industry and protecting the jobs it provides," Harris stated.
He added that the government will consistently seek and apply new technologies to ensure New South Wales implements the most current safety measures in its gambling sector.
The timeline for introducing the legislation related to the NSW Gaming Reform package remains unspecified.
So, what are the key components of the gambling reforms?
The NSW Gaming Reform package proposes the creation of a statewide exclusion register, which will be supported by mandatory facial recognition technology at the entrances of all gaming venues.
Currently, the voluntary self-exclusion options are limited to select hotels and clubs, with enforcement largely at the discretion of the venues.
The package will also introduce a third-party exclusion mechanism, allowing friends and family to initiate exclusions for individuals considered at risk of problem gambling, alongside venues and law enforcement.
In addition, the government aims to decrease the number of poker machines from the current total of 87,000 across 2,100 clubs and hotels.
This reduction will be achieved by raising the forfeiture rate when gaming machine entitlements are traded from one in three to one in two.
The policy includes a "sinking cap," which will lower the statewide cap as gaming machine entitlements are removed from circulation.
Further changes will also pave the way for future account-based play, providing greater transparency regarding player activities.
Acknowledging that much of the current gaming infrastructure is based on outdated technology, the government intends to upgrade the Central Monitoring System within the next two years to facilitate a transition towards account-based play.
Stricter advertising regulations are also part of the NSW Gaming Reform Package.
In an effort to protect against harmful advertising, the reforms will ban gaming-related VIP programs and prohibit all gambling advertisements on New South Wales government and council-owned properties.
Betting service providers will only be allowed to market directly to individuals via calls, emails, or texts with explicit consent from those individuals.
The package introduces new transparency requirements for gambling promotions by affiliates and influencers, restricting commissions related to high-risk gambling products.
Alongside advertising restrictions, the New South Wales government has vowed to formulate a strategy to combat online gambling harms and enhance enforcement against illegally operating companies, which will include new offenses and stricter penalties.
