The regulator,which has seen an increase in applications for late trading since November 2021,also revealed its poker machine data for 2019 showed venues with extended trading hours had almost double the profits per machine compared to those with standard hours.
The revelations will be seized on by anti-gambling advocates,independent MPs and the Greens,who back Premier Dominic Perrottet’s push to overhaul poker machines in NSW in a bid to stamp out money laundering and combat problem gambling.
Perrottet’s decision to pursue a cashless gaming card followed adamning report from the powerful NSW Crime Commission,which found poker machines in clubs were being used to wash dirty cash from proceeds of crime. The commission’s report recommended a cashless gaming card.
The premier has promised to unveil his proposal for a card ahead of the March poll. However,he faces fierce opposition from the lobby group representing registered clubs,ClubsNSW,which is determined to make it an election issue.
ClubsNSW and the NSW Australian Hotels Association argue that moving to a cashless system would be too costly for venues and would see thousands of job losses in the industry.
A new online campaign,run by ClubsNSW,said the “proposal is reckless and unproven” and would not stop criminals,but would increase problem gambling. The lobby group has also vowed to target any MPs who support the cashless gaming card proposal.