Most club and pub owners in NSW were celebrating on Monday following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. But the reopening of gambling rooms has the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Wesley Mission and the NSW Council for Social Service fearing a potential tsunami of gambling harm and other public health issues. The three groups are astounded NSW has reopened club and pub poker machines when every other state plans to keep them shut off for at least another month due to COVID-19 infection risks. Statistics show that people in the Illawarra saved $39.4 million since poker machines were turned off due to COVID-19. On Monday, the 4142 machines in the region will likely be switched back on again. This disappoints the three groups who have major concerns the NSW Government isn't prepared to manage the risks associated with people being exposed to gambling again after a nine-week enforced break. Read more: Announcement on dance studios, community sport and gyms to be made this week NCOSS CEO Joanna Quilty said poker machines did their worst damage in vulnerable communities around NSW, causing sometimes irreparable harm to families and individuals. "NCOSS remains extremely concerned about the harmful impact this form of gambling causes to individuals and the broader community, especially at such a vulnerable time," she said. "This decision....is a recipe for disaster and our members will no doubt be left to pick up the pieces." Wesley Mission CEO, the Rev Keith Garner, said his organisation was bracing for a wave of requests for its gambling counselling services in Sydney, Wollongong, Central Coast and Newcastle. "In Western Sydney alone around $450 million has been saved since poker machines were switched off on 23 March," he said. "That's a tremendous amount of money that will have been used to pay utility bills, rent and mortgages, and for other essentials. "It's difficult to fathom why pubs and clubs with gambling facilities will be allowed to have up to 500 people under one roof with poker machines on and taking money from people, when meanwhile churches and other places of worship are forbidden from having more than 50 people gathered." Read more: Australia on the brink of its first recession in almost 30 years Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate, the Rev Tim Costello, said he was horrified poker machines were allowed to reopen without consideration for the reforms needed to reduce their harm. He said this included reducing the "ridiculous opening hours" of poker machine venues, currently up to 18 hours a day, banning venue loyalty programs with any connection to gambling and introducing $1 maximum bets.
Most club and pub owners in NSW were celebrating on Monday following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
But the reopening of gambling rooms has the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Wesley Mission and the NSW Council for Social Service fearing a potential tsunami of gambling harm and other public health issues.
The three groups are astounded NSW has reopened club and pub poker machines when every other state plans to keep them shut off for at least another month due to COVID-19 infection risks.
Statistics show that people in the Illawarra saved $39.4 million since poker machines were turned off due to COVID-19. On Monday, the 4142 machines in the region will likely be switched back on again.
This disappoints the three groups who have major concerns the NSW Government isn't prepared to manage the risks associated with people being exposed to gambling again after a nine-week enforced break.
NCOSS CEO Joanna Quilty said poker machines did their worst damage in vulnerable communities around NSW, causing sometimes irreparable harm to families and individuals.
"NCOSS remains extremely concerned about the harmful impact this form of gambling causes to individuals and the broader community, especially at such a vulnerable time," she said. "This decision....is a recipe for disaster and our members will no doubt be left to pick up the pieces."
Wesley Mission CEO, the Rev Keith Garner, said his organisation was bracing for a wave of requests for its gambling counselling services in Sydney, Wollongong, Central Coast and Newcastle.
"In Western Sydney alone around $450 million has been saved since poker machines were switched off on 23 March," he said. "That's a tremendous amount of money that will have been used to pay utility bills, rent and mortgages, and for other essentials.
"It's difficult to fathom why pubs and clubs with gambling facilities will be allowed to have up to 500 people under one roof with poker machines on and taking money from people, when meanwhile churches and other places of worship are forbidden from having more than 50 people gathered."
Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate, the Rev Tim Costello, said he was horrified poker machines were allowed to reopen without consideration for the reforms needed to reduce their harm.
He said this included reducing the "ridiculous opening hours" of poker machine venues, currently up to 18 hours a day, banning venue loyalty programs with any connection to gambling and introducing $1 maximum bets.
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