The ACT Greens are pushing to extend overnight poker machine closures by an additional six hours a week, challenging the ACT government’s decision to scale back its original gambling reform commitment.

Greens gambling harm spokesperson Rebecca Vassarotti has moved an amendment to a government regulation that would require poker machines to be switched off between 2am and 10am.

The amendment targets a disallowable instrument introduced to implement the government’s revised operating hours, announced last month.

Vassarotti says the government had originally promised an overnight shutdown from 2am to 10am during the 2024 election campaign but subsequently weakened that commitment.

“The fact is two years ago, the Chief Minister posted on his official page and gave his word: a proper overnight ban on poker machines from two-o’clock to ten-o’clock in the morning, and that’s exactly what we expect,” she says.

She has questioned why the government reduced its proposed restrictions after previously denying that gambling industry lobbying influenced the decision.

Vassarotti says the government could allow the amendment to pass without opposing it, restoring the original commitment.

The Greens argue longer overnight closures would provide greater protection against gambling harm.

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