Two jurisdictions have taken very different paths on poker machine reform in the same month. The ACT has put a sweeping bill before its Legislative Assembly. Tasmania has stepped back from its cashless card and chosen a lighter package. Together they show how uneven the road to reform may be for clubs and pubs.
The ACT bill
The ACT government has introduced the Gaming Machine (Harm Prevention and Reduction) Amendment Bill 2026. It would ban EFTPOS and ATM cash withdrawals at venues with poker machines, make account-based cashless gaming mandatory, and set a legislated timetable to cut poker machine authorisations to no more than 1,000 by 2045. As outlined when the reforms were announced in September, players would need a venue account and card with a maximum loss limit, and clubs would have to enforce a 15-minute break after every hour of continuous play. Machine operating time would fall by 15 hours a week, and the government plans a reduction of 500 machines every four years. Self-exclusion would move to a centrally managed scheme.
The government will not introduce a central monitoring system linking all venues, saying the cost and the smaller number of machines make it unachievable. Critics have noted that an account system tied to a single venue would still allow someone to lose heavily at one club and move on to the next. The Greens have called the package weaker than earlier promises, while the Opposition Leader Mark Parton has raised concerns about trade moving across the border.
Industry pushback
ClubsACT chief executive Craig Shannon says meaningful consultation should have happened before the bill was tabled. He points to the absence of a statutory right to compensation for compulsory surrender of authorisations and says the promised Innovation Fund to help clubs build new income has not yet been delivered. He also highlights the privacy, staffing and cash-access consequences, noting that the ATM ban affects patrons who do not gamble. ClubsACT is asking the government to pause the bill long enough to consult and agree a funded, sequenced transition. It says an independent inquiry into the ACT club industry found that structural change should come before material cuts to machine numbers.
Tasmania takes a lighter route
Tasmania has dropped its earlier plan for a mandatory pre-commitment card capping losses at $100 a day and $5,000 a year. In its place the government is pursuing ticket-in ticket-out, facial recognition to identify people on the self-exclusion list, and limits on ATM withdrawals. It says the card is parked until there is a national approach. Treasurer Eric Abetz told an upper house inquiry that the operational complexity of a card system, including the need for a centralised banking arrangement, would have delayed implementation and raised costs. He argues the new measures should be judged against the current system and says Hospitality Tasmania was consulted. Anti-gambling advocates disagree. Anglicare Tasmania chief executive Dr Chris Jones told the inquiry the impact of the package would be minuscule.
Expect a patchwork
Rules on cashless play, withdrawals and machine numbers will differ by state and territory, so track your own jurisdiction rather than assuming one national model.
Prepare your team. Mandatory breaks, loss limits and self-exclusion checks add duties for staff on the floor, so plan training before rules take effect.
Think about cash access. An ATM restriction changes the experience for every patron, including diners and non-gamblers, so consider how your venue will keep a smooth experience.
Finally, plan for income beyond the machines. Review food, events, accommodation and other revenue, and keep close contact with your industry body, which is doing much of the negotiating on timing and transition support.
Sources
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Club Management, “ClubsACT calls for closer collaboration ahead of gaming reform rollout” — https://clubmanagement.com.au/clubsact-calls-for-closer-collaboration-ahead-of-gaming-reform-rollout/
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ABC News, “ACT moves to bring in cashless gaming, reduce pokie numbers in gambling law changes” — https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-15/act-government-gambling-law-changes/107152438
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ABC News, “Tasmanian treasurer defends gambling reforms amid criticism of ‘cowardly’ outcome” — https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-16/pokies-harm-minimisation-eric-abetz-tasmania/107276790
