The NSW government has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing poker machines, despite abandoning its initial buyback plan. Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has deigned to confirm a timeline.

Council of the City of Sydney

The New South Wales government has reiterated its commitment to reducing the number of poker machines in the state by 9,500, a promise made before the election. The initial plan to buy back the machines was abandoned due to a projected $60 million cost, but the government maintains it will achieve the reduction through a forfeiture scheme, though no clear timeline has been provided.

Despite ongoing concerns from charities and a critical audit highlighting ineffective regulatory support for harm minimisation, the government has yet to respond to an expert panel's report recommending account-based gaming by 2028. While a cashless gaming trial is underway, the government clarified it never committed to a full rollout of cashless gaming, and is still considering the best approach for implementation.

Minns government says pokies reform still happening

Before the election, Labor promised to remove 9,500 pokies. We want to see fewer poker machines in New South Wales faster. A plan dumped two years later as buying them would cost $60 million. We've listened to the advice of our expert panel that has suggested that that is not a good use of public money. But now the minister says that is still the target. We're absolutely going to deliver on our election commitments. Wasn't one of those commitments a reduction of 9,500 gaming machines? Yeah. And... Are you still committed to that? Yes. And so that's why we have the forfeiture scheme still in place. As for when... So, no indication of when you think it'll hit that 9,500 target that he committed to? No. In the election campaign, we made no commitment on a timeline. Except they did. We reckon we can get 9,500 of them out of the state within five years. The state has more than 87,000. Problem gambling has been a problem area for this government. After two and a half years in office, there has been little meaningful reform. Despite pleas from charities... The matter is urgent. The longer we take, the more people are becoming addicted to machines which are designed to addict them. ..and the damning audit which found regulators are not supporting harm minimisation outcomes effectively, government has not yet responded to an expert panel's report from November. It recommends account-based gaming by 2028. Is your government still committed to delivering cashless gaming in New South Wales? We committed to a cashless gaming trial. So, that is it? We're not going to see cashless gaming? We never made an election commitment to introduce cashless gaming. We're looking at the best system that can be implemented in New South Wales. Lachlan Kennedy, 10 News.

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Breakdown