NSW Hails Efforts by Gambling Establishments Ahead of September 1 Ban

The NSW government has confirmed that the proposed ban is going to be complied with fully, and already nearly 50% of all establishments have decided to act preemptively and strip their outward gambling signage.

NSW Sees Proposed Gambling Signage Ban Preparations Take Off

The measure discussed is a voted proposal by the government which wants gambling businesses to remove signage that invites passers-by to visit their VIP Room, VIP Lounge, Golden Room, Players’ Lounge, and other similar dedicated gambling spaces, which boil down to gambling business operations.

The government has similarly acted preemptively and anticipated some companies using imagery and signage such as dragons, coins, or lightning to attract people, but this type of outward branding and marking one’s establishment has also been prohibited under the new rules. Officials from the NSW government provided an update last week, confirming that 215 out of 530 venues have moved on with complying with the measure.

Minister for Gaming & Racing David Harris has hailed the efforts made by these establishments and said that they went on to indicate that operators and the government can indeed collaborate in helping reduce gambling harm and making sure that consumers are protected across the board.

“We announced these changes back in May as a staged approach to ensure pubs and clubs were given the appropriate amount of time to conceal, remove and switch off any gambling-promoting signage,” Davis added. However, this measure is just one of the planned proposals that will help elevate the responsible gambling field in Australia and New South Wales in particular.

A Raft of Measures to Protect Consumers and Tackle Crime

There are further measures designed to ensure that Australians and NSW residents are protected. One of the most ambitious measures is to reduce the cash input limit for electronic gaming machines from $5,000 presently to $500.

Another measure is to ban clubs that offer gambling materials from being able to place political donations of any sort, and there will also be Responsible Gaming Officers now available at any venue that features more than 20 machines. NSW is also focusing on a cashless tech that is supposed to curb money laundering and boost player protection.