A NEW trial targeting the "twin sins" of money laundering and gambling is set to launch in NSW this year with hopes of expansion to the Riverina region.
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The switch to a 'digital wallet' at a Newcastle licensed venue will see the introduction of spending limits and time restrictions on gaming machines, and real-time messaging with staff members.
While the cashless side of the trial more specifically targets money laundering and organised crime, the restrictions in place on the digital system will benefit people struggling with gambling addictions.
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The Alliance for Gambling Reform's NSW campaigner Kate Da Costa said, assuming the system is well designed, the whole community would benefit.
"If a cashless system is not well-designed, it could be an absolute disaster, but we are quite pleased to see in this case that they have taken a concern for prevention of harm as seriously as laundering money," she said.
"You can only have the digital wallet linked to your bank account which is matched to ID, and by setting a limit, it won't act as an Eftpos card to drain your account."
As well as a spending limit, there is a delay in the time between topping it back up and trying to use it again, which Dr Da Costa said could often be enough to change people's minds.
"A break in play will often mean someone walks out of the gambling room, and that can often be enough to make them stop and think, 'you know what, I will go home'," she said.
The trial will take place at the New Lambton venue in Newcastle and will be independently assessed by an academic researcher and Liquor and Gaming NSW.
A requirement of the trial will be that customers need to supply Proof of Identity equivalent to 100 points and have their digital wallet linked to an Australian bank account. Data safeguard features and privacy will be an essential element.
Dr Da Costa said she hoped to see venues in Wagga show an interest in the trial.
"We know there is a big impact on the Wagga community when it comes to gambling, so to have leagues clubs or RSL clubs even show an interest or consider the trial would be a great thing," she said.
"The other possible outcome is that clubs with a limited number of machines, including a few in Wagga which may only have six or so, could decide its all too hard to install an entirely new cashless system and just sell their machines now while there's still a market for it.
"That money from the sales could go towards a new stage for live music or something that would still bring in new revenue for them."
Wagga's lead Greens candidate Jenny McKinnon said the trial was a step in the right direction to curb gambling, but hoped it wasn't the end of efforts.
"Anything that helps people put limits on the amount they gamble, anything helps them take control of situation, that's a really positive thing, but ultimately we would like to see it as first step to removing the use of pokie machines entirely," she said.
Installation and testing is scheduled to commence at the beginning of August, with the live trial to commence in September.
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