Crown Sydney Barred from Operating Poker Machines

The New South Wales government has ruled out any possibility of allowing poker machines to be installed at Crown Sydney. This decision underlines the state’s firm stance in managing its gambling sector, as opponents fear that permitting such devices in one of NSW’s leading venues could undermine the broader industry and expose more people to gambling harm.

Lobbying Efforts Have Fallen Short

Premier Chris Minns reaffirmed that his government will not back any legislation to remove the legal restriction that has, for more than 10 years, kept Crown’s Barangaroo casino from featuring poker machines. This stipulation is part of the original conditions that allowed the casino to be constructed on public land and has long been a point of contention between the venue and state authorities.

The announcement comes amid reports that Crown Resorts had been actively lobbying MPs to amend the law in its favor. Despite the company’s efforts, no one in Parliament appears willing to advance such a bill. With the Premier firmly refusing to support the Crown’s poker machine push, the restriction will likely remain firmly in place for the foreseeable future.

This is a legislative imposition that’s been in place for over a decade. It would require a government bill to knock over that restriction, and I’m not going to do it.

NSW Premier Chris Minns 

Crown’s high-rise complex at Barangaroo, occupying a prime waterfront location in the city, was envisioned as a high-roller-only table gaming destination. However, a 2021 public inquiry revealed that Crown was unfit to operate due to anti-money-laundering and compliance breaches, forcing the operator to undergo a three-year remediation before reopening gaming operations.

The NSW Government Remains Committed to Consumer Safety

MP Alex Greenwich, whose electorate includes parts of Sydney’s inner city, welcomed the government’s stance. He called any attempt to permit poker machines at Crown a betrayal of public trust. Greenwich also drew attention to a damning report published by the NSW Auditor-General that criticized state regulators for not actively enforcing poker machine harm-minimization measures.

With gambling harm on the rise, we need fewer venues with large poker machine floors, not new ones right on the harbour.

MP Alex Greenwich

The NSW government’s decision aligns with a broader wave of reforms aimed at tightening gambling regulation in the state. Recent proposals include reducing the maximum cash a gambler can bring into a casino from AUD 5,000 ($3240) to AUD 1,000 ($650), as well as increased provisions to fight money laundering and criminal infiltration. Local police have also been busy, shutting down five illegal gambling operations last year.

Crown Resorts, already facing substantial scrutiny due to its past failings, will have to settle with its Sydney venues having table games only. This development means that the operator could miss out on a substantial revenue stream as NSW poker machine profits reached a record AUD 8.4 billion ($5.44 billion) in the 2023–24 financial year. While future lobbying efforts could yet yield results, the current status quo will remain, at least in the short term.