Australia’s New South Wales Government is closing a loophole that has enabled pubs and clubs to vary the hours during which their venues operate gaming machines.
Following months of review and consideration, the Minns Labor Government is acting to revoke outdated exemptions, which will take effect from 31 March 2026 to provide venues with sufficient notice to adapt their business operations.
Under law, NSW venues must shut down all gaming machines between 4am to 10am each day of the week. The six-hour shutdown is a harm minimisation measure intended to provide players with an important break in play, so customers go home, get ‘out of the zone’ and reflect upon their behaviour.
More than 670 venues have a varied shutdown period for a variety of reasons, including being in high traffic ‘tourist’ locations, or having a history of earlier opening hours and experiencing financial hardship, with many of the variations in place for more than 20 years.
“The Minns Labor Government takes gambling harm minimisation seriously and these changes are a continuation of measures we are making to protecting people in NSW who are experiencing harm,” said Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris. “Following months of review, it is clear the 20-year-old variations enabling more than 670 clubs and pubs with gaming machines to operate outside of the mandated hours were no longer fit for purpose.
“So I have acted to revoke these variations and update the application process, in a phased way so that venues can still make their case to vary their hours.
“The NSW Government will continue to deliver evidence-based reforms to ensure we are striking the balance of addressing gambling harm while supporting an industry that contributes billions to the NSW economy and employs more than 150,000 people.”
A Review of Gaming Machine Shutdown Hours conducted by Liquor & Gaming NSW in 2024 found that a minimum 6-hour shutdown period, commencing no later than 4am, is effective at minimising gambling harm.
The review found no evidence to justify changing the start time or extending the length of the shutdown hours.