NSW considers cashless system for poker machines

Authorities in New South Wales are considering legislation banning the use of cash in poker machines.

Australia.- The government of New South Wales is considering a new cashless system for all poker machines in the state.

If the initiative moves forward, players would be required to register for government-issued gambling cards, which would be linked to the state’s exclusion register. The aim is to block gamblers at risk of addiction from using poker machines.

The initiative has been put forward by senior cabinet minister Victor Dominello. It also contemplates the use of facial recognition technology.

Dominello has said: “We have an opportunity with technology to solve wicked problems around gambling addiction. For example, a player card would enable self-declared problem gamblers to work with their loved ones and counsellors to place healthy limits on the amounts they gamble.”

The state has 95,000 poker machines that bring in AU$1 billion (US$720 million) in state taxes each year and create as many as 100,000 jobs.