Australian Capital Territory Introduces Legislation to Reduce Gambling Harm

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government has introduced legislation to strengthen controls on electronic gaming machines, including mandatory account-based cashless gambling, restrictions on access to cash inside gambling venues and a long-term reduction in the number of authorised gaming machines.

The Gaming Machine (Harm Prevention and Reduction) Amendment Bill 2026 was introduced on 20 October 2026 as part of a wider government programme aimed at reducing gambling-related harm while supporting community clubs to diversify their revenue sources.

Under the proposed framework, players using electronic gaming machines would be required to gamble through registered accounts rather than cash inserted directly into machines. The account-based system is intended to support additional safeguards, including pre-commitment measures and mandatory breaks in play.

The legislation also proposes banning ATMs from venues operating electronic gaming machines. Separately, regulatory amendments will prohibit EFTPOS cash withdrawals at these venues. The measures are intended to limit the ability of customers to obtain additional cash during gambling sessions.

The ATM prohibition will be subject to a 12-month transition period after the legislation is notified, allowing venues time to remove existing machines. The EFTPOS withdrawal restriction is being introduced through a separate regulation and is scheduled to commence six weeks after notification.

Another central element of the legislation is a gradual reduction in the number of electronic gaming machine authorisations across the ACT. The government intends to reduce the total to no more than 1,000 by 2045. The bill would require at least 500 authorisations to be surrendered every four years until the target is reached.

The reform package also includes longer shutdown periods for electronic gaming machines. Under a separate regulation signed on 15 September 2026, machines will be required to stop operating during extended periods overnight and in the early morning. The new hours are scheduled to take effect on 1 July 2027.

The shutdown periods will be from 2am to 10am Monday to Thursday, 2am to 9am on Friday, 4am to 9am on Saturday and 4am to 10am on Sunday. The changes are intended to reduce access to gaming machines during periods when the risk of gambling-related harm may be elevated and to create longer breaks between gambling sessions.

The legislative changes follow the government’s September announcement of a broader package of gambling reforms. That package also includes measures to simplify self-exclusion, allowing people who wish to take a break from gambling to access exclusion arrangements more easily.

A separate Gambling and Racing (Gambling Exclusion) Amendment Bill 2026 was introduced in the ACT Legislative Assembly on 16 September. It is intended to provide a clearer statutory basis for the exclusion scheme and strengthen the obligations of gambling licensees to prevent harm.

The government has cited findings from the 2024 ACT Gambling Survey, which identified electronic gaming machines as a significant contributor to gambling-related harm in the territory. According to the government, these machines accounted for approximately one-third of the total burden of gambling harm measured in the survey. Its broader reform programme is based on the position that gambling-related harm can affect not only players but also their families and the wider community.

The changes will have operational and financial implications for clubs that rely on gaming machines as a source of income. The ACT government has said it intends to support these businesses as they adapt to the reforms, including by encouraging the development of alternative revenue sources and more diversified business models.

The bill must pass through the ACT Legislative Assembly and complete the required legislative process before its provisions become law. Implementation will also depend on the relevant commencement arrangements, giving venues time to prepare for the changes.

The package represents a combination of new legislative requirements and separate regulatory amendments. Its implementation will affect gaming machine operations, customer payment arrangements, player identification and exclusion processes, and the number of machines that clubs may operate over time.

By fLEXI tEAM