NSW government drops plan to remove 9,500 poker machines, saying ‘it would make no difference’ | Gambling

The New South Wales government has dropped a commitment to remove 9,500 poker machines from across the state, despite committing to do so before the state election.

During the campaign, senior Labor figures including the now treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, described the party’s plan to remove thousands of poker machines as a clear point of difference when compared to the Liberals.

“We want to see fewer poker machines in NSW, faster,” Mookhey told Sky News in early 2023. “Under the plan that we have released, we reckon that we can get 9,500 of them out of the state within five years.”

The 9,500 machines would have been removed through a combination of a buyback scheme – accounting for about 2,000 machines – and a separate forfeiture model.

During a parliamentary hearing on Tuesday, the state’s gaming minister, David Harris, said this was no longer the state government’s policy.

“You make those commitments before an election, then you actually get in and do the work and realise …” Harris said, before an interjection.

“What we found is it is not the number of machines that’s the issue. It’s the intensity of play. The state could pay $60m to remove those machines and it would make no difference other than $60m coming out of a budget when it could have been spent on harm minimisation.”

Under questioning during budget estimates, Harris said: “You make election commitments based on the best knowledge you have.” He continued to say: “You may find some of the commitments you made are no longer relevant and actually would not achieve what you thought they may have.

“The idea of reducing machines sounds very attractive, but when the evidence shows us that it would make no material difference, do you think we should go and spend $60m on something that doesn’t make a difference?”

Harris said the government’s position had changed after listening to advice from an independent panel on gambling policy. This panel included several groups that operate or profit from poker machines – including Clubs NSW, the Australian Hotels Association (AHA), Gaming Technologies Australia and Leagues Clubs Australia – as well as the trustee of the Responsible Gambling Fund, NSW Council of Social Service, Wesley Mission, the United Workers Union, two academics, and one person with lived experience.

A report by the panel’s executive committee told government that “a buy-back scheme will be costly, estimated to be at least $60 million, and not likely to impact gaming machine numbers in a significant way”.

“However, should the NSW government choose to implement a scheme it should be voluntary and open to NSW clubs and hotels, be simple and transparent,” the report said.

The shadow minister for gaming, Kevin Anderson, said the state government had broken an election commitment.

“We’ve got Daniel Mookhey on one hand making this evidence-based commitment in the lead up to the election and now the minister for gaming saying the evidence doesn’t stack up,” Anderson said.

“It is not clear who to believe, but what is abundantly clear is Labor has done nothing to address problem gambling in this state.”

The state government has announced a series of policies to address gaming, including a ban on advertising outside poker machine venues. It recently announced plans to ban gambling advertising on public transport.