500 Days of Inaction on Gaming Recommendations
April 10 marks 500 days since the NSW Independent Panel for Gaming Reform submitted its final report to the NSW Minister for Gaming and Racing, David Harris. This report included 30 recommendations focused on reducing gambling harm through mandatory cashless gaming and other evidence-based reforms. Despite the urgency, the NSW Government has not yet provided a formal response.
Wesley Mission General Manager, Joel MacKay, stressed the critical need for action, stating, “Five hundred days, thirty recommendations, no response. We do not have a knowledge problem, we have an action problem.” This delay leaves communities grappling with continued harm as the recommendations remain unimplemented.
Introducing mandatory cashless gaming across all NSW poker machines is a key recommendation in the report. This measure is part of a broader strategy to address gambling issues in the state.
Rising Gambling Losses
In 2025, poker machine losses in NSW reached an unprecedented high of approximately $9.3 billion. During the last quarter, losses amounted to $2.45 billion, averaging around $26.7 million daily. These figures underscore the urgent need for reform.
Research commissioned by the Responsible Gambling Fund revealed a significant link between gaming machine exposure and domestic and family violence, with impacts most pronounced in metropolitan Sydney and parts of northern and northwestern NSW.
Tricia, who has personal experience with gambling harm, expressed frustration at the lack of policy action, “In the past 500 days, I have continued to do the hard work to rebuild my life. What is harder to accept is individuals are expected to change while the system remains the same. The harm is still happening and the recommended reforms remain unactioned.”
Losses exceeding $2 million daily were reported in Canterbury-Bankstown and Fairfield LGAs, while Tweed, Central Coast, and Wollongong also reported record losses. These statistics highlight the widespread nature of the issue across the state.
Wesley Mission continues to call for a formal response from the NSW Government, highlighting that after 500 days, communities deserve more than silence. “Every day without action is another day people experience harm we already know how to reduce,” MacKay stated. The recommendations are ready to be implemented and require immediate government action.
As communities await a response, many question when the necessary reforms will be enacted to protect individuals, families, and communities from further harm.
