But Minns indicated the pilot would need to be an opt-in scheme,even though he conceded it meant money launderers or problem gamblers could seek out other venues. “That’s part of the complexity of the response,” Minns said.
“If you ... made it mandatory,then you’d need to make sure that the club or the pub that opted into that trial wasn’t materially affected. Otherwise,we wouldn’t get the recruits – the pubs and clubs – that we need to be part of the ultimate regime.”
The idea of an optional trial was criticised by high-profile anti-gambling advocate Tim Costello,who warned criminals and problem gamblers would choose not to partake. The NSW Crime Commission has also warned against an opt-in system,while an evaluation of Victoria’s YourPlay scheme,which allowed users to pre-commit their gambling limits,said its analysis was limited by the voluntary nature of the scheme and low usage rates.
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Minns’ position on Wednesday strengthened Labor’s previously muted stance on gambling reform followingthe Crime Commission report,which last month recommended mandatory cashless gaming cards be introduced in pubs and clubs to combat money laundering.
However,Minns said his call for a trial did not amount to wholesale support for the cashless card scheme. “We’re not prepared to make that announcement today precisely because,if it’s a trial,you’d have to look at the economic impact on the clubs and pubs that opted in.”
That stance sets him apart from the premier,who repeated on Thursday a cashless card was “the destination we need to get to” and welcomed bipartisan backing for a pilot. “Where you can find common ground,you should,” Perrottet said.