A significantly expanded voluntary trial of cashless gambling cards is firming as the most likely response to a scathing New South Wales Crime Commission report, which found only a mandatory scheme would be effective in combating money laundering in the state’s pubs and clubs.

Anti-gambling advocates have also warned any trial will only be effective if it is mandatory, as pressure mounts on both major parties to limit the influence of the state’s powerful clubs lobby ahead of the March election.

The opposition leader, Chris Minns, announced Labor would support a trial of the card on Wednesday, after criticism from anti-gambling advocates and Alex Greenwich, an influential cross bench MP, of the party’s refusal to back the policy.

Minns said Labor will back an expansion of an existing trial taking place at a single venue in Newcastle, which he said was “clearly not enough to get an evidence base to make a change”.

“We need a broader evidence base so that when we do make reforms and changes to the sector, we actually understand what the circumstances of those changes will be, what the impact will be on the clubs and pubs industry, what it will mean for those that work in that industry, and whether it will, in fact, work,” he said.

His comments came after the premier, Dominic Perrottet, said last week that he wanted to introduce the card, in light of the Crime Commission’s report that found that billions of dollars in “dirty” money is being gambled in pubs and clubs across the state each year.

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While the government is yet to formalise its position, a significantly expanded trial based either on the number of venues or a total number of machines is the likely outcome as the Coalition attempts to head off criticisms from anti-gambling advocates while avoiding a public dispute with the powerful gambling lobby.

But any trial is likely to remain voluntary, something that has drawn the ire of anti-gambling advocates.

On Wednesday Minns indicated his preference for a voluntary trial, saying he didn’t want the clubs industry – and its employees – to be “materially affected” by any expansion.

But the effectiveness of a voluntary system has been questioned by experts, including the crime commission. In its report it found that a voluntary card “will not address” money laundering in the state “as criminals dealing with the proceeds of crime will simply use cash”.

“A hybrid/voluntary system will likely make pubs and clubs more attractive venues for money launderers as hybrid player card systems could be exploited to make ‘cleaning’ easier,” the commission said.

On Wednesday a coalition of groups, including the Wesley Mission, Anglicare, the Salvation Army and the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, released its 2023 election platform which urged NSW to follow Tasmania by introducing the card.

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The chief executive of Wesley Mission, Stu Cameron, said a similar system introduced in Victoria has failed to work because it was voluntary, insisting there was “no reasonable excuses or reasons not to proceed” with a mandatory system.

“Voluntary cards reinforce stigma because a person is identifying themselves as needing help by requesting one,” Cameron said.

“Mandatory or universal cards mean everyone has to use them – stopping criminal activity and providing useful tools for people to help guard against gambling harm caused by poker machines, which have been designed to addict.”

Greenwich has been critical of Labor for refusing to back his push for the card to be legislated before the March election, but on Wednesday Minns hit back saying he was “not going to hand the state over” to the Sydney MP.

“I’m not going to get steamrolled into a policy position. Without the evidence base in place. We will make decisions based on common sense evidence fact information, and that means looking at the circumstances as it applies,” he said.


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