NSW Hoteliers and Clubs Must Shut Down Gambling Machines from Midnight to 10am; Fines for Running Machines During Shutdown

Gaming Machines Amendment (Mandatory Shutdown Period) Bill 2025

Private Member's Bill

15 Oct 2025: MPs in the first house are debating whether this bill is a good idea in principle.

Legislative Council

Legislative Assembly

Assent

Share this bill

Email Facebook X Bluesky

Topics

criminal penalties gambling public safety

Introduced by: Cate Faehrmann MLC (GRN)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Official page: bill text and explanatory notes

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

Hoteliers and clubs must stop all gambling machines from operating between midnight and 10am every day.
Hoteliers or clubs that run gambling machines during this 10-hour shutdown can be fined up to 500 penalty units, plus 10 penalty units for every machine used.
Hoteliers and clubs can no longer apply for shorter or different shutdown periods.

News articles and press releases

Gaming Machines Amendment (Mandatory Shutdown Period) Bill 2025

Ms CATE FAEHRMANN — 2025-10-15

The bill seeks to do two things. First, it will extend the mandatory shutdown period for all poker machines in New South Wales from six hours—currently 4.00 a.m. to 10.00 a.m.—to 10 hours, from midnight to 10.00 a.m. every day. Secondly, it will remove the outdated and exploitative exemption system that allows hundreds of clubs and pubs to keep their machines operating late into the night under so-called tourism, early-opener or hardship variations.