It seems that the disagreement over cashless gambling cards in New South Wales (NSW) is still escalating and the situation is not even nearing a relaxation, and the tension in the gambling sector is only getting bigger.
In mid-December, the Premier of the state, Dominic Perrottet, stated that he would not be threatened by the first major offensive of ClubsNSW, the powerful lobby group for local clubs offering poker machines, since the group’s war against the Government of Prime Minister Julia Gillard about a decade ago.
At the time when the major escalation of the debate regarding the pursuit and potential implementation of cashless gaming card took place only three months prior to the state election, ClubsNSW once again insisted on its belief that the technology was both reckless and unproven. Premier Perrottet, on the other hand, said he would not back down from the policy aimed at tackling problem gambling and money laundering in the state, and criticised the group for using scare campaigns based on lies and fear.
NSW Clubs’ Lobby Group Unleash Targetted Attack against Some Members of Parliament
On December 12th, 2022, the NSW clubs’ lobby group unleashed a targeted attack on Helen Dalton, an independent Member of Parliament, by launching the statewide “Reform the Right Way” campaign. Earlier in December, Ms Dalton spoke with The Sydney Morning Herald and confirmed her support for moves aimed at tackling problem gambling in the state of New South Wales.
John Landis, the CEO of ClubsNSW, backlashed Ms Dalton after the interview, saying that the regional Member of Parliament was supposed to be a representative of the local community and not some “petty dictator”.
Premier Dominic Perrottet, however, said politicians had to do what’s right and made a promise that his Government would not step back and tremble because everyone there is focused on doing the right thing for the local community. He highlighted the fact that his Government remains focused on fixing a major issue for society.
As Casino Guardian reported earlier, in November, Mr Perrottet promised to introduce so-called cashless gaming technology in a move aimed at cracking down on problem gambling and money laundering in the state, after a report from the NSW Crime Commission stated that the technology could help reduce the billions in dirty money that have been poured in the state’s poker machines on an annual basis.
The move has been backed by a number of Members of Parliament, including members of the Greens, and some independents such as Helena Dalton. The Nationals, however, have been somehow reluctant to back the measure, while the leader of the Labour Party, Chris Minns, cited concerns regarding the economic impact which such a measure would have on the industry.
“Reform the Right Way” Campaign Calls for Practical and Proportionate Reform of NSW Gambling Sector
As mentioned above, on December 12th, ClubsNSW rolled out the state-wide campaign “Reform the Right Way”, calling for a practical and proportionate reform of the local gambling sector. The action has been considered a targeted attack against independent Members of Parliament and the Green party, while inviting local residents to get in touch with their local Government representative.
In a reference to the Government of Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the “Save Our Clubs” campaign, the CEO of ClubsNSW said that was the first time in no less than a decade that clubs had to really express their frustration to the community. The former Prime Minister had given the not to a reform package in terms of poker machines, as part of a cross-bench deal that would have allowed it to stay in power after the federal election in 2010. She, however, still dismissed the policy after facing an extremely violent campaign by the local gambling industry.
Mr Landis further noted that he wanted to collaborate with the Premier in order to achieve cost-effective and workable solutions for everyone. He also noted that NSW clubs were still trying to get back on their feet after the negative impact the Covid-19 pandemic and recent floods had had on their operations, so they were looking to local lawmakers for support – not for additional barriers that would almost make their future viability impossible.
Some members of the Liberals have noted they were expecting local clubs to start such a massive campaign against them in case the industry did not get the desired policy position from Premier Perrottet.
Victor Dominello, a retiring Liberal who was dropped as the gaming minister of New South Wales in 2021 after facing threats from the pubs and clubs industry to start a campaign against the Government, backed Premier Perrottet, saying he was working for the public interest.
Welfare Services Peak Body Backs the Stricter Poker Machine Policy of the NSW Government
The authorities’ efforts to tackle the detrimental impact of so-called poker machines have been ongoing for years now. Lately, poker machine reform has become one of the hottest issues linked to the regulation of the sector.
In November 2022, the peak body for welfare services in the state of New South Wales recommended that the Government should put an end to a grants scheme funded by pokies. At the time, the NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS) warned that local clubs knowingly and willingly exploit poor and disadvantaged communities it was supposed to help.
Apart from that, the body was also seeking to end its long-time association with ClubGrants after the scheme was found seriously flawed, had no real enforcement of the rules, and created opportunities for conflicts of interest.
As reported earlier, Premier Dominic Perrottet has faced a serious backlash from the pubs, clubs, and his Nationals colleagues in terms of the mandatory cashless gaming cards aimed at tackling money laundering and problem gambling in NSW. The so-called ClubGrants scheme was created in order to redistribute tax breaks on poker machine profits of NSW clubs to local community groups. According to reports, poker machine profits (or, respectively, punters’ losses) in the state hit a record of AU$3.8 billion over the first half of 2022.
Helen Dalton MP, who has been personally targetted by the recent attack of the ClubsNSW, had previously backed a gambling reform. She had refused to engage with clubs in her electorate, explaining that three managers of such businesses had reached out to her to discuss the matter over the phone.
Campaigners and lawmakers in the state of New South Wales have been preparing to reform the lucrative gambling sector but they need to calculate the full impact that such a measure would have on the industry. As The Sydney Morning Herald previously reported, a survey held by Resolve Strategic for the media hub showed that most of the NSW voters are willing to see the competent authorities take decisive action against the poker machines and the detrimental impact they have been having on local communities.
- Author
Daniel Williams
