The ACT government will introduce legislation in the Legislative Assembly today to implement its previously announced gambling reforms, including mandatory cashless gaming and a reduction in poker machine numbers.
The Gaming Machine (Harm Prevention and Reduction) Amendment Bill 2026 will establish the legislative framework for reforms announced earlier this year.
Under the proposed laws, all venues with poker machines would be required to introduce account-based cashless gaming, with pre-commitment safeguards and mandatory breaks in play.
ATMs would also be banned from poker machine venues, while gaming machine authorisations would be progressively reduced to no more than 1000 by 2045, with at least 500 authorisations surrendered every four years until the target is reached.
Gaming Reform Minister Marisa Paterson says the legislation, introduced during Gambling Harm Action Week (October 19-25), delivers commitments made at the 2024 ACT election.
The government is also inviting feedback on the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission’s draft 2027-2032 Harm Prevention Strategy, with submissions closing on November 16.
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