The NSW Coalition is reportedly embroiled in debate over whether it should support a bill that would see poker machines across the Australian state switched off for 10 hours a day – between midnight and 10am.
The bill was introduced by Greens MP Cate Faehrmann last week and calls for the 10-hour daily restriction to be imposed on all pubs and clubs in NSW, although this would not apply to The Star Sydney’s casino.
The Greens noted in submitting the “Gaming Machines Amendment (Mandatory Shutdown Period) Bill 2025” that there is already a requirement under the “Gaming Machines Act 2001” for poker machines in hotels and clubs be switched off for a minimum of six hours a day, between 4am and 10am, however 674 venues currently operate under exemptions to the mandatory shutdown period.
The Daily Telegraph is reporting that several members of the opposition Liberal Party – which alongside the National Party forms the NSW Coalition – spoke out in support of the Greens’ bill during a shadow cabinet meeting on Monday night. Some, it said, broke ranks to offer full support while others suggested some action was necessary but also questioned whether 10 hours went too far.
National Party MPs have, however, rejected the proposal – insisting that limiting the operating hours of poker machines would hurt regional venues.
In submitting the bill, Faehrmann said, “A fully mandatory shutdown period is one of the simplest things we can do to reduce the harm poker machines cause.
“The Productivity Commission has consistently found that shutdown periods of less than six hours are ineffective at reducing gambling harm, and that shutdowns are most effective when they start no later than 2 a.m. and last at least six hours
“The Commission also found that longer shutdowns – eight or 10 hours – do not significantly affect the overall turnover of clubs and hotels but do have a measurable impact on the prevalence of problem gambling.
“Three of the ten most profitable clubs are operating with extended trading hours after gaining a so-called ‘hardship exemption’ to mandatory shutdown periods for poker machines.
“The Premier has failed to act to close these loopholes based upon a key recommendation made by the very expert panel he set up to advise him on these matters.
“The Premier’s lack of leadership on genuine pokies reform is an enormous disappointment to the thousands of families impacted by pokies addiction in this state. Every day he delays taking action more NSW families are being pushed to the brink.”
The bill comes after the New South Wales government earlier this year backtracked on a plan to remove 9,500 poker machines, representing around 10% of the total, from licensed venues across the state, claiming that the considerable money required to do so would be better spent on harm minimization measures.
However, a number of poker machine reforms have been introduced in recent years, including a ban on exterior signage advertising gaming at pubs and clubs, a requirement for venues with 20 or more machines to have a Responsible Gaming Officer on duty and a huge reduction in the cash feed-in limit for new machines from AU$5,000 previously to just AU$500.
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