NSW Greens propose phasing out of pokies at clubs and pubs

The party wants to introduce a super tax and phase out pokies in New South Wales within 10 years.

Australia.- The NSW Greens have proposed that New South Wales phase out pokies amid pressure from anti-gambling campaigners to tighten controls over the industry. The party’s “Pull the Pin on Pokies” initiative seeks to ban pokies from pubs within five years and from clubs within 10 years.

The Greens also want to see the introduction of cashless gaming cards, a measure that has been proposed by the New South Wales Crime Commission (NSWCC) but rejected by the industry. The party says venues should be assisted in accessing alternative revenue streams while existing revenue should be redirected towards problem gambling services.

They would subject clubs and bars to a 60 per cent super tax on pokies that would rise by 5 per cent once a year. The party says this would generate AU$3.4bn in additional revenue over five years to would fund gambling harm reduction and other community-based services.

Greens MP Cate Faehrmann said gambling was out of control in NSW and that the party was focused on “repairing the harm pokies have wrought to local communities”. She called on major parties to commit to reforms ahead of the upcoming election in March 2023.

The measure was backed by Troy Stolz, the former head of anti-money laundering at ClubsNSW. He said: “Money laundering in pubs and clubs across NSW is real and so is gambling harm, it cannot be ignored.

“The Greens have a plan to address these issues, whereas the Liberal and Labor parties only plan to serve their master, the gambling industry.”

However, a spokesman of ClubsNSW criticised the initiative, saying clubs in NSW alone were already delivering AU$1.2bn to the state every year. He said 92 per cent of people in NSW visited a club at least once per year and that only eight per cent of voters supported the Greens.

See also: Why NSW’s Labor leader is avoiding debate on mandatory cashless gaming system