NSW gaming crackdown to force pubs and clubs to remove VIP Lounge signage

The NSW is continuing its hard crackdown on gaming venues by forcing them to axe all external "VIP Lounge" signage within the next three months. 

Pubs, clubs and other venues must remove the signage as part of the state government’s gambling reform, which follows a damning report from the NSW Crime Commission. 

The primary recommendation from the report was to introduce a cashless gaming card.

The then-Coalition government committed to implementing that reform by 2028, however Labor is only trialling the reform trial to ensure hospitality jobs will remain intact.

NSW Premier Chris Minns will enforce a 12-month cashless gaming trial for 500 machines in metro and regional areas. This will be funded by the $100 million penalty enforced on Star Casino for failing to stop criminal activity on its premises. 

An independent body will them report its cashless gaming recommendations. 

Mins will also ban political donations from the clubs sector, reduce the number of poker machines across the state and drop poker machine cash input limits. 

"Because of the cost associated with cashless gambling machines right across NSW, if we made it mandatory across every machine in every pub and club, you would be waiting years," Minns said. 

"We believe with 500 machines and $100 million and the independent panel we can determine based on evidence whether this will work. 

"I am determined to make sure all changes are evidence-based, common sense based so we don't have a fiasco like the greyhounds or lockout laws.” 

There are some 90,000 poker machines in NSW – the second highest number of machines in thew world.

Jonathan Jackson, 22^nd May 2023