NSW clubs to become mini-casinos

For broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 2 June 2013.

In what is rumoured to be an outcome of a memorandum of understanding between the Coalition and Clubs NSW signed before the last election, the NSW Government is quietly amending the Gaming Machines Act 2001 to allow small clubs with a maximum of 33 gaming machines to swap up to five machines for an equivalent number of multi-terminal gaming machines.

As the Reverend Fred Nile pointed out in parliament on Wednesday, a multi-terminal gaming machine is typically an electronic version of roulette or blackjack, and opening the door to such machines would effectively turn NSW clubs into mini-casinos, ripping more money out of our wallets, and pouring it into the state’s coffers.

Churches and other groups backing gambling reform will continue fighting on behalf of ordinary people to stop the loss, and will not rest until gambling industry greed is effectively curbed by a state government that serves the people rather than its corporate sugar daddy.

I’m Rod Benson for the NSW Council of Churches.