NSW Gambling Industry Unveils New Code of Conduct in Response to Recent Mandatory Gaming Card Discussions

At a time when gambling is becoming quite a contentious issue in the upcoming election in New South Wales (NSW), the local gambling industry has released a code of conduct that seeks to bar suspected criminals from accessing its services in the state gain.

The organization that regulates clubs and pubs that offer poker machines in the state – ClubsNSW – is tentatively representing the move to implement so-called mandatory cashless playing cards and says that the evidence presented so far does not prove that the proposed measure will directly reduce gambling addiction and gambling-related problems. address damage in New South Wales.

Earlier today, a new gaming code of practice, which will come into effect from July 2023, was released. Under the terms of the code, pokie players in the state will be subject to welfare checks at least every three hours. In addition, new measures that will see gambling addicts banned from venues will also be implemented.

Under the terms of the aforementioned gambling code, New South Wales club and pub staff will be required to undergo certain training aimed at identifying key indicators of problem gambling behaviour, while a responsible gambling officer will be appointed at each club across the state. ClubNSW has revealed that players who show any level of distress or financial difficulty will be forced to take a break from gambling for no less than 24 hours.

ClubsNSW says new code of conduct is more effective than Premier Perrottet’s cashless playing card

As previously reported by Casino Guardian, problem gambling has become a much-discussed topic at a time when the state of NSW prepares for the March 2023 election. According to the latest reports, local gamblers are losing just under AU$1 million every hour on pokies that available across New South Wales.

At the same time, the discussions over NSW gambling services have put local political parties under increased pressure to introduce the proposed cashless gambling measure for pokies available in clubs and bars, with a report issued in 2022 by the NSW Crime Commission finding that billions of Australians dollars in dirty cash were laundered by controversial pokies on an annual basis.

That’s why Premier Dominic Perrottet has made a promise to introduce a special mandatory cashless gaming card across the state, with further details to be released. As Casino Guardian previously reported, the NSW Labor Party said it wanted further evidence on the potential effect of the measure and promised to introduce a trial of cashless gaming rules on just 500 of the 90,000 electronic gaming machines operating in the state. available should it be the upcoming March election. The Labor Party has also promised to reduce the number of pokies in New South Wales.

The newly announced ClubsNSW code of conduct will ensure that patrons who borrow money from other players, seek credit for gambling, or admit to stealing cash to gamble will be automatically suspended from entering gaming rooms in the state. Lifetime bans for suspected money launderers are included in the code.

Gambling addicts will also be offered professional counseling to help them deal with their problem gambling behaviour. In addition, family members of problem gamblers will be able to request an exclusion for their loved ones under the terms of the new code of conduct, with an expert gambling counselor determining whether such a measure is necessary and appropriate.

ClubsNSW chief executive Josh Landis explained that the code offers a cost-effective and efficient approach to gambling reform, unlike the proposed mandatory cashless card. He further noted that the new code of conduct is the most effective way to protect gambling addicts from gambling-related harm while keeping criminal activity out of local clubs and bars, which have historically been the safest place to gamble.

Daniel Williams

Daniel Williams began his writing career as a freelance writer at a local newspaper media outlet. After working there for a few years and writing about various topics, he found his interest in the gaming industry.