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ClubsNSW Claims Cashless Gambling Cards Will Cost Jobs

James Guill

The proposal for mandatory cashless gambling cards in New South Wales is receiving kickback from ClubsNSW. ClubsNSW claims that implementing the new system will cost thousands of jobs across the region. Those supporting the legislation are speaking out against these claims, claiming that the pokies operator is claiming hard times.

ClubsNSW May Cut 9,000 Jobs Due to Cashless Cards

Earlier this week, ClubsNSW released a report claiming that a new proposed cashless gambling card system would be catastrophic to the company. The company claims that implementing the system will cost the company around $1.8 billion. They claim it will also result in the loss of thousands of jobs. The 9,000 jobs that may be lost would equate to 1 in 4 workers losing their job.

The Guardian reported on this claim and even contacted ClubsNSW to try and get some clarification on how they got to these figures. Unfortunately, The Guardian did not receive an answer.

Implementing a new cashless card system will require that pokies venues change their current system, and update all gaming to allow for these cards. This definitely will incur extra costs. However, it is hard to see where they come up with a $1.8 billion bill.

Reform Advocates Speak Out Against ClubsNSW

Not surprisingly, gambling reform advocates were quick to criticize ClubsNSW and its claims. Tim Costello, head of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, spoke at length on this matter. Below are his comments:

“ClubsNSW loves to lump every single employee at a club in with their jobs figures, from the cleaner through to the bar manager, yet claim these are all related to gambling revenue when they patently are not,” Costello said.
“The fact is credible research shows that $1m spent on meals and other food creates 20 jobs, whereas the same amount spent on gambling only creates three jobs.”

“The current reform moves in NSW have dual benefits: they will all but eliminate money-laundering from criminal activity, and will also reduce gambling harm. Those are both wins for the community. Why don’t so-called community clubs want to help their communities?”

Costello further commented on the claim that the cashless gambling cards will cost jobs. He stated that ClubsNSW has used this tactic anytime there is a mention of reform. “Whenever there is a possible reform suggested that will help the community they scream ‘jobs!’ and think that’s the end of the argument. Well, it’s not.”

The industry is Able to Implement These Changes But Doesn’t

Troy Stolz, a former counter-terrorism financing manager, spoke out on the ability of ClubsNSW to implement these changes. He claims that the company is more than capable of doing so, but chooses not to.

Stolz mentions ClubPASS which uses contactless sign-in for pokies venues. He further commented that “ClubsNSW sent a team of industry leaders over to America … to research migrating over to a CRM platform such as Salesforce, as the future platform to build their digital services on. ClubssNSW through their large digital team, have the capability to develop apps and technology-led products as they have already done with ClubPASS.”

These revelations coupled with ClubsNSW’s lack of corroborating evidence seem to back up claims that the company is claiming hard times rather than focusing on making casino gaming safer for customers. Cashless gambling cards will be a drastic change in how things have been done in the past. This is similar to how Australian online casinos changed the face of casino gambling at the turn of the century. However, the industry needs to keep up with the changes in society and do what’s necessary to help protect players.