Gaming Technologies Association (GTA) members Aristocrat Leisure, eBet, International Game Technology (IGT) and Light & Wonder will participate in the trial, which will see cashless gaming tested at 4,500 electronic gaming machines as part of the government’s player protection, social responsibility and AML objectives.

Cashless gaming trials will be conducted at 4,500 electronic gaming machines across NSW, and form part of a wider objective held by the state government to enhance player protection and socially responsible gaming in the state.

Jinesh Patel, CEO of GTA, said: “The focus for GTA is to ensure a fair and balanced path for gaming technology in Australia. The trial is complex and costly but we are committed to finding a path forward and working with the NSW Government.

“GTA is proud to contribute to the NSW Panel and its members are committed to seeing Australia’s first statewide trial succeed.”

Bolstering player protection had been identified as a key objective by the NSW Labour Party prior to the elections in March of this year, and upon winning the vote the party began implementing its plans.

The NSW Independent Panel on Gaming Reform was created to oversee the rollout of regulatory changes and adoption of safer gambling measures. Back in October, the state government committed AU$100m to safer gambling initiatives.

This figure included a $6.4m commitment to examining the rollout of cashless gaming at various venues across the state, with 28 locations – 20 clubs and eight hotels, including small regional clubs and larger ones with over 300 machines – selected.

According to the GTA, the cashless trials will consider a range of factors, including impacts on employees, infrastructure and technology costs across different venue types, with respect to ‘stringent cybersecurity requirements’.

Michael Foggo, Panel Chair and former NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing Commissioner, said: “The independent panel – which comprises key industry, law enforcement, community, and harm minimisation representatives – has been buoyed by the large number of applications it received for the trial.

“This demonstrates the depth of genuine support this trial has in the industry and its commitment to addressing gambling harm and money laundering. We look forward to working with the trial participants in the coming months and monitoring and gaining insights from this important project.”

This latest set of trials follows similar rollouts at the Wests Newcastle and Club York, covering 250 gaming machines, and the government hopes that the next set will provide further insights into the use of cashless tech to counter money laundering and reduce gambling harm.

Previous efforts in this area have included a reduction in the cash input limit from $5,000 to $500 for new poker machines from July 2023, and a lowering of the statewide cap on gambling entitlements by more than 3,000.

The government has also banned political donations from clubs involved in gaming, has removed VP gaming signage across the state, and has invested $100m in gambling harm minimisation over a four-year period.

Richard Harris, State Minister for Gaming, said: “This trial is bigger, broader and delivers nine times more machines than we committed to during the election campaign. The Independent Panel has lit the next step in our reform agenda. I want to thank Mr Foggo and the Panel for their ongoing work coming together to build consensus.

“The strong interest in participating in the cashless gaming trial proves just how serious clubs and hotels are about working with the Government to reduce gambling harm and money laundering associated with electronic gaming machines.

“The industry is clearly behind us as we undergo these landmark gaming reforms as part of our commitment to addressing money laundering and gambling harm in NSW.”

Australian gambling reforms are also impacting the sector at a national level with regards to payments. Earlier this month, the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2023 was approved by the Senate, paving the way for a ban on credit card payments for gaming with the exception of lotteries.

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In a move that aligns with GambleAware Week, which comes to an end on Sunday 22 October, this funding is said to represent the “next important step” in an ongoing “long-term commitment”.

It is hoped that this outlay will help to further tackle money laundering, implement gaming reform and reduce the harmful impacts of gambling across communities.

During September 2022, Star was deemed unsuitable to hold its casino licence within New South Wales after Adam Bell delivered a damning report following an extensive inquiry into the company.

Subsequently, a A$100 fine and various remediation orders were imposed on the group. This was followed some time later by similar action within the operator’s home state of Queensland.

As a result of this, the state government is redirecting this sum of money to fund various gambling harm minimisation initiatives during the course of the next five years.

This will initially see A$6.4m enhance self-exclusion and introduce third-party exclusions in pubs and clubs, in addition to A$3.4m going to a recently established panel to drive a cashless gaming trial. 

A A$10m figure will be attributed to the provision of GambleAware counselling and support services, while $21.7m for three years from 2024/25 is intended to fund other gambling harm minimisation initiatives and reforms, including those recommended by the independent panel.

“We know there are people out there experiencing gambling harm in our community, and we are concerned [about] the impact this has on individuals, their families and the broader community,” commented David Harris, Minister for Gaming and Racing.

“We are committed to increasing awareness of the risks of gambling, in all forms, and I can assure people there is a lot of help and support out there in NSW communities, that is freely available and accessible.

“This GambleAware Week we encourage everyone to talk with friends, family or colleagues if you are  worried about what gambling could be costing them.

“Our first budget delivers $100m in harm minimisation initiatives, including funding for the NSW Office of Responsible Gambling to provide support to people affected by gambling harm through these GambleAware services as well as working to prevent harm before it occurs by investing in education and awareness raising.”

The theme for this year’s GambleAware Week, which started yesterday (Monday 16 October), is ‘what’s gambling costing you?’ This is intended to encourage people to think beyond the monetary costs of gambling.

“Everyone has a role to play in keeping our community safe,” Harris added. “We encourage everyone to take part in GambleAware Week and show our combined commitment to preventing gambling harm.

“One of our key election commitments was to ban external gambling signage from venues, as we know that can be triggering for gamblers, and that ban is in place as of September 1 this year, with 99 per cent of venues compliant. It shows that when government, industry and community work together we can get positive results.”

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Each trial is expected to run for at least three months to ensure there is sufficient data to address key areas, with the impact of these technologies to be identified, monitored, and assessed by an independent researcher.

Issuing its latest update regarding the state’s cashless gaming ambitions, Liquor and Gaming NSW has revealed three key areas that each solution should look to address. These are stipulated as:

• Changes, if any, in player attitudes and behaviours due to the use of technology, including changes in gambling behaviour, the ability to manage and control spend, the frequency and duration of sessions and the level of harm experienced.
• Player experiences using the technology, particularly the harm minimisation tools made available, and any barriers identified.
• Areas for improvement to reduce gambling harm or for consumer protection.

The Independent Panel on Gaming Reform, established in June, has issued the plea, with interested applicants having to meet a set of minimum requirements. 

These include harm minimisation, anti-money laundering protections, and data security and privacy protections, as well as specific requirements for venues. 

A series of trials will be held in a bid to assess how these cashless gaming solutions operate in real-world conditions in clubs and hotels.

Thus far, one Aristocrat trial commenced on October 10, 2022, and concluded on June 22, 2023, with a final report expected in the latter stages of the year, while a similar pilot concerning IGT is currently underway. Tech was deployed in all 112 gaming machines at Club York, in central Sydney, which began in April 2023.

A Light & Wonder test at Crows Nest Hotel has been approved, with Utopia having submitted a fresh proposal after Liquor & Gaming NSW previously approved a trial of the group’s digital wallet tech. 

Earlier in the year, NSW advanced its cashless gaming ambitions through the formation of the aforementioned independent panel to establish, implement, evaluate and review an impending trial.

Representatives from the likes of NSW cyber security and police force will also provide input, with the panel to deliver a final report, findings and recommendations, including an implementation roadmap for gaming reforms, to the state government at its conclusion.

The group can also seek input from a wide range of external experts in the field and government bodies, such as the NSW Crime Commission, NSW Information and Privacy Commission and AUSTRAC. 

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Comprising representatives from law enforcement, gambling and health experts, academics and the industry, a maiden gathering was led by former NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing Commissioner Michael Foggo to address its first priority.

This concerns an upcoming cashless gaming trial, with the 16 person panel charged with developing recommendations for the government to consider in relation to the possible introduction of cashless gaming in hotels and clubs.

This must take a number of factors into consideration, including the required infrastructure investments, impact on employment and industry, options to further reduce gambling harm, impact on reducing the risk of money laundering and minimum requirements for venues and tech providers to participate.

The panel will also be consulted on a review of the ClubGRANTS Scheme, which is being undertaken by Liquor & Gaming NSW in consultation with The Cabinet Office and .

Advice on an implementation roadmap must be delivered by November 2024, which will direct the government on the use of a A$100m harm minimisation fund, expanded self-exclusion register, use of facial recognition, milestones for delivery and technical and system standards and privacy and data protections that should be adopted.

“The panel’s first priority is to confirm the design and regulatory settings for the expanded cashless gaming trial, to ensure it can start as soon as possible,” David Harris, Minister for Gaming and Racing.

“This includes deciding which venues will take part, ensuring there is an appropriate mix of hotels and clubs across metropolitan and regional areas.

“By imposing certain mandatory requirements, the panel can ensure that the trial will have strong data security and privacy protections in place.”

These efforts are intended to build on a number of regional governmental reforms that have already been introduced in a bid to curb gambling harm and tackle criminal activity in clubs and pubs relating to gaming machines.

These include a lower cap for poker machines entitles, reduced cash input limit from $5000 to $500 and fresh legislation to ban political donations from clubs with pokies, which will take effect from July 1, 2023. In addition a ban on external signage for gaming rooms will be introduced from September 1, 2023.

“The panel is set up so that a range of key stakeholders and experts are represented including industry, gambling harm minimisation experts, academic experts, law enforcement and cyber security,” Foggo added.

“It also has the ability to seek input from other external experts in the field and government bodies such as the NSW Crime Commission, the NSW Information and Privacy Commission and AUSTRAC.”

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Forming one part of a string of reforms rolled-out in recent times, inspectors have thus far engaged with 530 venues across 20 metropolitan and 12 regional local government areas. 

Following the changes being rolled-out during May, 215 of the 530 of those visited are said to be already complying with the new requirements ahead of the 1 September deadline.

This sees relevant entities having to remove, alter or conceal all external gambling-related signs, including fixed unilluminated awning signs and digital video displays. 

In addition, wording that references terms such as VIP Room/VIP Lounge, Golden Room/Lounge and Players’ Room/Lounge are among those banned, alongside images of dragons, coins or lightning motifs.

David Harris, Minister for Gaming & Racing, praised venues that have already removed offending signage and urged other pubs and clubs to get on board.

“It’s great to see industry and government working together to prevent and reduce gambling harm in the community,” he said.

“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.

“While venues have until September 1 to comply, our expectation is that they remove signs as quickly as possible and not leave it until the last minute.

“Removing this signage is just one important part of our commitment to gambling reform to reduce harm and tackle money laundering head on in NSW, and we are delivering.” 

Adding: “This government is committed to evidence-based reform. We have achieved more in four months than the coalition managed in twelve years.”

Further government-led reforms include a reduction of cash input limits from $5,000 to $500 for all new electronic gaming machines from July 1, 2023, with all political donations from clubs involved in gaming being banned.

The number of EGMs in circulation will be capped, responsible gaming officers will be deployed at venues with more than 20 machines and a third-party exclusion register will be expanded across the whole state.

In addition, an independent panel of stakeholders, including industry, harm minimisation organisations, academics, law enforcement, cyber security and the union movement, will be established to oversee a cashless gaming trial and recommend an implementation roadmap for gaming reforms.

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Representatives from the likes of NSW cyber security and police force will also provide input, with the panel to deliver a final report, findings and recommendations, including an implementation roadmap for gaming reforms, to the state government at its conclusion. A first priority is mandating certain requirements to participate.

The group could also seek input from a wide range of external experts in the field and government bodies, such as the NSW Crime Commission, NSW Information and Privacy Commission and AUSTRAC.  

Chris Minns, Premier of NSW, said that this represents “an important step” in minimising the “harmful effects of problem gaming on families” and eradicating criminal activity.

“The panel has a big job to do but we have the balance right to ensure we have an evidence-based roadmap for future gaming reforms,” he noted.

The independent panel, comprising representatives from law enforcement, gambling and health experts, academics and industry, will be led by Michael Foggo, NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing Commissioner.

A total of 16 individuals will be recruited, including three independent executive committee members with “extensive experience” in government-led inquiries and committees in Foggo, Ursula Stephens, former Labor Senator, and Niall Blail, former MLC and Deputy Leader of the NSW Nationals.

Additional members will include four industry representatives and two academics with relevant expertise. Cyber Security NSW and NSW Police will gain once each, and a representative of the United Workers Union will also be present.

“Harmful gambling not only impacts individuals but also their loved ones and the broader community, which is why it is so important that we work together to reduce gambling harm,” Foggo explained.

“Harmful gambling not only impacts individuals but also their loved ones and the broader community”

Michael Foggo, NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing Commissioner

“We must also ensure that there are appropriate mechanisms in place to stop the money laundering and criminal activity associated as outlined in the NSW Crime Commission report.

“We want to make sure we get the balance right and consider all relevant factors so that any future reforms implemented by the NSW government work.

“The independent panel will get straight to work and will meet in the coming weeks to confirm the framework of the cashless gaming trial and recommend an appropriate mix of venues for the trial to the NSW government.”

The 16 person panel is charged with developing recommendations for the government to consider in relation to the possible introduction of cashless gaming in hotels and clubs.

This must take a number of factors into consideration, including the required infrastructure investments, impact on employment and industry, options to further reduce gambling harm, and the impact on reducing the risk of money laundering.

Advice on an implementation roadmap must be delivered by November 2024, which will advise the government on the use of a A$100m harm minimisation fund, expanded self-exclusion register, use of facial recognition, milestones for delivery and technical and system standards and privacy and data protections that should be adopted.

David Harris, Minister for Gaming & Racing, explained: “We have taken the time to get the right people around the table to ensure we get the best possible trial that will protect consumers and provide confidence in cashless gaming.

“Michael Foggo and the independent panel will advise on the technology, infrastructure, cost, impact on industry and employment, and options to reduce gambling harm, that is their primary purpose.

“I look forward to the panel’s expert contribution as we continue to deliver on our commitment to gambling reform.”

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In October 2021, the then Scientific Games signed a definitive agreement to purchase ACS‘s PlayOn, with the purchase subsequently finalised two months later.

The product line, which was subsequently renamed to an acronym that stands for Access To On Demand Money, looks to provide players with a seamless debit solution at live table games by allowing them access funds without having to leave their seats. 

“AToM is unbelievably simple, intuitive and offers a great convenience for players. Integrating Shift4’s payment processing capabilities allows us to drive greater value and retention for our customers and a better experience for players,” said Mike McKiski, Senior Vice President of Global Gaming Tables at Light & Wonder.

“These solutions complement each other, and our current product family, enabling us to deliver a truly differentiated offering.”

AToM, which will permit the integrated payments and commerce solutions provider to expand its land-based casino footprint, allows players to access funds without leaving the table or handling cash. 

The solution, which aims to drive enhanced player retention and provides real-time accounting and game reports, is looking to deliver an increasingly seamless gaming experience via this alliance.

“Shift4 is transforming commerce across various industries with a simplified payment experience that seamlessly integrates into leading technology solutions,” stated Anthony Perez, Shift4’s SVP of New Verticals. 

“Light & Wonder is a leader in cashless solutions for casinos, and Shift4 is excited to enhance the player experience for its customers. 

“We are quickly growing our presence in the gaming space with our ability to deliver both card-present and card-not-present solutions, and this agreement further enhances our capabilities for our casino customers.”

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As part of the IGT Advantage casino management system, IGT has stated that Resort Wallet and IGTPay will give Graton customers “more choice, convenience and security for funding their play at the property’s 3,000+ slot machines” since it is “the gaming industry’s only fully integrated turnkey cashless solution”.

“As one of Northern California’s premier gaming destinations, Graton Resort & Casino prides itself in offering our players leading-edge technologies that bolster the guest experience and introduce added choice and convenience,” commented Brian Green, VP/Assistant General Manager at Graton Resort & Casino.

“IGT’s proven Resort Wallet and IGTPay cashless technologies will enable us to drive new operational efficiencies and optimise revenue, while offering our customers a future-forward mobile e-wallet option that comes with a variety of benefits.”

The new solutions will allow Graton to provide rewards loyalty club members with a cashless wagering account option, which includes being able to fund that account from their mobile with a range of sources including personal checking and credit accounts.

Using Bluetooth and IGT’s M5 technology, players can tap their smartphone to the game’s card reader to populate the game’s service screen with their balance and loyalty rewards.

Once a play session has concluded, the player can either transfer the remaining funds back into a personal account or keep them in their cashless wagering account for future play.

The IGT technologies will also fully integrate with Graton’s Marker Trax offering, its digital marker solution.

“Cashless commerce is the way of the future across business sectors and we’re finding that slot players who adopt IGT’s cashless casino technologies are readily embracing it and reporting high satisfaction with the experience,” added Ryan Reddy, SVP of Global Video Poker, VLT, Systems and Payments at IGT.

“We look forward to helping Graton Resort & Casino maximise player convenience and security, accelerate growth and differentiate the guest experience through IGT’s Resort Wallet and IGTPay cashless gaming technologies.”

Last month, IGT CEO Vince Sadusky noted that the company was able to achieve all its financial objectives in 2022 and is entering 2023 ‘from a position of strength’ with momentum across all business segments.

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This will see the NSW Liberal and Nationals government make every poker machine across the state cashless by December 31, 2028, in response to numerous reports of money laundering in electronic gaming machines. In contrast, Labor’s commitment currently stretches to a limit trial of 500 machines.

Kevin Anderson, Minister for Hospitality and Racing, noted: “These historic reforms are the most comprehensive in the country and through our Transition Taskforce we will work closely with the community and pubs and clubs throughout the rollout.”

Perrottet says that the proposal will provide support for pubs and clubs to transition to cashless gaming, ensure continued support for community organisations, funding for diversification into new business areas, as well as dedicated extra support to ensure the ongoing viability of regional and small venues.

Cashless gaming will include a number of features to curb problem gambling, including mandatory self-imposed limits and cooling-off periods, breaks in play, prohibiting the transfer of funds from credit-cards and ceasing automatic top-ups, with gaming funds only allowed to flow from a bank account.

This will be complemented by other system-wide changes such as self-exclusions and third-party exclusions, prohibiting the use of VIP Lounge signage and prohibiting political donations from both pubs and clubs.

Under the harm minimisation efforts to come under the changes, players would be required to set their own limits that cannot be increased for seven days, mandated breaks in play and the ability for players to self-exclude would be possible, with third party exclusion by a family member also enabled. Implementation of a state-wide self-exclusion register would also be undertaken.

“Today we make a once in a lifetime change to create a better NSW,” explained Perrottet. ‘We address the number one recommendation from the Crime Commission and we will end money laundering in pubs and clubs, while protecting jobs and supporting communities.

“We will also ensure people using poker machines receive more support, if they want it, to deal with problem gambling.

“Pubs and clubs are the lifeblood of so many communities across NSW and I want them to thrive, continue to grow and be a place for fun and enjoyment for everyone.

“My government will walk with our pubs and clubs every step of the way on this transition.”

The reforms, which vow to stop money laundering while protecting people, will see a date to be locked in through legislation and introduced into parliament this year.

An independent Transition Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, will be established and include representatives from key government agencies, industry representatives and harm minimisation experts.

This will operate from April 2023 throughout the duration of the transition, and will provide a roadmap to deliver state-wide cashless gaming by 2028, with the full rollout commencing in early 2024.

Deputy Premier Paul Toole said: “We’ve always said the path to cashless gaming should be a sensible one and recognise the difference between a big venue in the city and a small venue in the bush. This package delivers on that.

“It’s a comprehensive plan to tackle the issues identified by the Crime Commission and that provides industry the time, certainty and support to plan for the future.

“We’ve set a destination and this is a sensible road to get there.”

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Speaking at the group’s 2023 AGM, the former of these issues was first tackled by Neil Chatfield, Aristocrat Chair, who touched upon the “significant attention” that cashless tech in electronic gaming machines has been garnering. 

“We are proud to have achieved support for an Australian-first trial of cashless gaming technology in NSW, including new RG functionality, in partnership with a major customer, the NSW government and the regulator,” Chatfield noted.

This trial, it was added, represents “several years of work” as well as “millions of dollars” in investments after initially being launched to market last year. 

“We look forward to the trial’s completion, and the assessment of the independent researcher, who was appointed by the regulator in line with the usual, mandated product development process in NSW,” he said.

Beginning a CEO address, Trevor Croker touched upon “the ongoing execution of our successful, sustainable growth strategy” through the past year. This saw revenue reach A$5.5bn, up 18 per cent, with net profit rising 27 per cent to A$1.1bn.

“Once again, we focused on investing in competitive product portfolios to drive market share gains. We also continued to invest in strategic adjacencies – including in our ‘Build and Buy’ strategy to enter and scale in online RMG,” Croker continued.

Before switching to focus on the land-based and online gaming ecosystem, attention was first switched to the ultimately doomed, and much publicised, acquisitive pursuit of Playtech.

“We are excited by the opportunities ahead for Anaxi”

Trevor Croker, Aristocrat CEO.

Via the completion of A$1.3bn in equity raising regarding the lapsed purchase, Croker noted that “the business subsequently refinanced our debt, achieving better terms, extended maturities, a more diversified capital structure and competitive pricing – underlining our ability to support our long term growth ambitions”.

These ambitions stretch to the US’ gambling space, where it is said an “exceptional performance” was recorded on a retail basis, which complemented “significant progress” in executing the group’s RMG strategy.

Acknowledging that progress has been encouraging in the current financial year on a land-based basis, Aristocrat noted that was particularly the case across North America.

However, citing macroeconomic uncertainties, the company noted that it is “closely monitoring possible impacts on consumer sentiment from elevated inflation and higher interest rates, and the evolution of supply chains”.

Switching focus to the digital domain, the purchase of Roxor Gaming closed earlier in the month, a move that is designed to “accelerate Anaxi’s strategy to grow in the igaming market”. The entity is live in the UK and New Jersey markets, with Ontario also going live during the current quarter.

With the Americas a constant theme throughout, Croker touched upon a recent BetMGM alliance, before asserting that “we anticipate a number of other agreements over the year, as the build-out gains momentum”.

He continued: “Anaxi is also launching a first-of-its-kind mobile on-premise solution for tribal gaming operators. This product allows patrons to connect with and play Aristocrat’s class-II gaming content via their mobile devices while on trust land. 

“Anaxi’s mobile on-premise solution will be live with the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma in the first quarter of this year.

“We are excited by the opportunities ahead for Anaxi and look forward to keeping you updated on our progress.”

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