The government of New South Wales has unveiled a package of gambling reforms aimed at reducing problem gambling while applying new restrictions to marketing practices in the sector.
The measures, presented Tuesday, fulfill what the government, led by Premier Chris Minns, called a “key election commitment.” The package draws on recommendations from the state’s Independent Panel for Gaming Reform, along with input gathered from industry representatives, harm minimization groups and the wider community.
Officials pointed to findings from the NSW Gambling Survey 2024, which recorded moderate-risk gambling among 3.1% of the state’s adult population and high-risk gambling among 0.9%.
NSW Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said the reforms combine regulation, technology and safeguards to reduce harm without undermining the sector’s viability.
“These are common sense reforms that have been developed alongside industry, harm minimisation groups, stakeholders and privacy experts to address gambling harm while supporting the industry and protecting the livelihoods of the many people it employs,” Harris said.
“Our government will continually explore and implement emerging technology to ensure NSW has the most up-to-date safety measures available built into our gambling industry,” he added.
The state has allocated AU$95.2 million (US$68.1 million) over four years to implement the changes. A timeline for the legislation required to enact the package has not yet been released.
Exclusion measures expand statewide
The package establishes a statewide exclusion register, to be enforced through mandatory facial recognition technology installed at the entrances of gaming rooms. That system replaces the current setup, in which self-exclusion agreements apply only to certain hotels and clubs and depend largely on venue staff for enforcement.
A third-party exclusion scheme has also been added to the framework, permitting family members, friends, venues and police to initiate exclusions on behalf of individuals considered at risk of excessive gambling.
Machine numbers set to decline
NSW currently operates 87,000 poker machines across 2,100 clubs and hotels. Under the new rules, that number is expected to fall as the government raises the forfeiture rate applied when gaming machine entitlements change hands, from one in three to one in two.
A “sinking cap” mechanism will also apply, lowering the statewide ceiling on machine entitlements as those entitlements are withdrawn from circulation.
Separately, the government is working toward account-based play, a system intended to provide greater visibility into who is using gaming machines.
Officials acknowledged that much of the existing machine gaming infrastructure relies on legacy technology, and plan to upgrade the Central Monitoring System over the next two years to support the transition.
New limits target gambling promotion
The reforms introduce several changes to how gambling products can be advertised in NSW. VIP programs tied to gaming will be banned, and gambling advertising will no longer be permitted on assets owned by the NSW government or local councils.
Betting service providers will be required to obtain express consent before marketing directly to consumers via phone calls, emails or text messages. New transparency requirements will also apply to gambling promotions carried out by affiliates and influencers, with commission structures restricted for higher-risk gambling products.
The government further committed to developing a strategy addressing harms linked to online gambling, along with tougher enforcement measures against operators found to be functioning illegally, including new offenses and increased penalties.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/08/25/126053-new-south-wales-tightens-gambling-rules-under-new-reform-plan
