New South Wales Unveils Wide-Ranging Gambling Reforms
Australia.- 26 August 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com The New South Wales Government has unveiled a broad package of gambling reforms designed to reduce harm, strengthen consumer protections and tighten oversight of both gambling operations and marketing.
The measures span land-based gaming and online wagering, including new rules on self-exclusion, facial recognition, advertising, direct marketing, affiliates, gaming-machine numbers and enforcement against illegal operators.
Statewide Self-Exclusion Register
One of the central reforms will be the introduction of the NSW Statewide Exclusion Register.
The system will allow individuals who choose to self-exclude to be covered under a single framework across every hotel and club in the state operating gaming machines.
Current arrangements are more fragmented and rely heavily on individual venues to enforce exclusion agreements.
The new model is intended to make exclusions portable across venues.
Mandatory Facial Recognition from 2028
The statewide register will be supported by mandatory facial-recognition technology at the entrances to gaming rooms.
The system is scheduled to be introduced in 2028.
It will help venues identify individuals who have self-excluded and enforce those restrictions more consistently.
The technology may also support NSW Police efforts to prevent gaming machines being used for money laundering and other criminal activity.
Third-Party Exclusion
The reforms will also introduce third-party exclusion mechanisms across hotels and clubs.
The measure is intended to create additional intervention options when family members or others close to a customer identify serious gambling-related concerns.
The Government argues that gambling harm extends beyond the individual customer to partners, children and wider families.
Fewer Gaming Machines
New South Wales currently has around 87,000 gaming machines across approximately 2,100 clubs and hotels.
The Government will increase the forfeiture rate applied when gaming-machine entitlements are traded.
At present, one entitlement is permanently removed for every three traded.
Under the reforms, that will increase to one removed for every two entitlements traded.
New Sinking Cap
A new sinking cap will also be introduced.
The mechanism will progressively lower the statewide ceiling as machine entitlements are removed from circulation.
The aim is to ensure reductions are permanent and accelerate the decline in total machine numbers.
Existing exemptions allowing certain transfers without forfeiture will also be tightened.
Foundations for Account-Based Play
The Government will upgrade the Centralised Monitoring System (CMS) over the next two years.
The upgrade will create the infrastructure needed to support future account-based play.
Under this model, customers use a registered account when playing a gaming machine rather than gambling entirely anonymously.
Cash will not necessarily be eliminated, but the upgraded system will enable stronger harm-minimisation and anti-money laundering controls.
VIP Gaming Programmes to End
The package includes a ban on VIP programmes linked to gaming.
The Government views these schemes as potentially encouraging higher-risk gambling behaviour.
The reform forms part of a broader effort to remove commercial incentives linked to increased gambling spend.
Gambling Advertising Banned on Public Assets
Gambling advertising will also be prohibited across NSW Government and council-owned assets.
The restriction will apply to public property controlled by state and local authorities.
The policy is intended to reduce gambling promotion across publicly managed spaces.
Direct Marketing Requires Consent
Betting service providers will no longer be able to send promotional messages through:
- Telephone calls.
- Email.
- Text messages.
They will first need to obtain express customer consent.
The measure is designed to eliminate unsolicited direct marketing and provide consumers with greater control over betting communications.
New Affiliate and Influencer Rules
Additional transparency requirements will apply to gambling promotions by affiliates and social-media influencers.
The Government will also restrict certain commission arrangements linked to higher-risk gambling products.
The intention is to prevent marketing incentives where promoters benefit directly from higher customer wagering or losses.
Online Gambling Strategy
New South Wales will also develop a dedicated state strategy to reduce harm associated with online gambling.
The programme will include:
- Stronger oversight of wagering providers.
- New offences.
- Higher penalties.
- Expanded regulatory powers.
- Stronger enforcement against illegal gambling platforms.
This extends the reform package beyond traditional hotel and club gaming.
AUD95.2 Million Investment
The Government will invest AUD95.2 million over four years to fund the reform package.
Funding will come from remaining resources within the AUD100 million gambling-harm minimisation fund and increased licence fees for clubs and hotels operating gaming machines.
The Responsible Gambling Fund will also receive an additional AUD20 million over the next two years.
Statements
NSW Gaming and Racing Minister David Harris said the package combines new technology, stronger exclusion tools, tougher regulation and greater investment in harm reduction.
He said the reforms were developed with input from industry representatives, harm-minimisation organisations, privacy experts and law-enforcement stakeholders.
Harris added that the Government will continue to assess emerging technology to ensure gaming safeguards remain up to date.
Industry Context
According to the NSW Gambling Survey 2024, approximately 3.1% of the state’s adult population experiences moderate-risk gambling, while 0.9% experiences high-risk gambling.
The package also responds to recommendations from investigations into money laundering through electronic gaming machines, the Independent Panel for Gaming Reform and broader stakeholder consultation.
It represents one of the most comprehensive interventions by the NSW Government across gaming and wagering.
Next Steps or Impact
Implementation will take place progressively.
Technology upgrades will begin over the next two years, while the statewide exclusion register and mandatory facial recognition are scheduled for 2028.
In parallel, new marketing restrictions, stronger enforcement powers and measures to reduce gaming-machine numbers will be introduced.
The package significantly reshapes consumer-protection standards in New South Wales and increases obligations for both land-based gaming venues and online wagering providers.
Editó: @fonta
