Pokies’ investigators resign as tensions rise over cashless gaming

As tensions rise within the NSW government over moves to introduce cashless gaming, a team of investigators at Liquor & Gaming have quietly resigned.

A group Liquor and Gaming NSW investigators who had been looking into suspicious gaming machine activities have all resigned.

More than six officers involved in a highly explosive report leaked to The Sunday Telegraph in May which declared organised crime groups were using licensed venues to launder money have quit.

The revelation comes ahead of what is expected to be a tense Coalition party room meeting on Tuesday, as nervous Nationals MPs — along with some Liberals — raise their concerns about calls to introduce cashless gaming five months from the state election.

It also comes as 80 people sign up to the nation’s first voluntary cashless gaming trial, which will let patrons transfer money directly from the gaming wallet on their phone onto the machine.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the first resignations occurred soon after the responsibility of department was moved from Better Regulation Minister Victor Dominello to his Nationals colleague, Hospitality and Racing Minister Kevin Anderson.

Better Regulation Minister Victor Dominello was forced to hand over responsibilities of liquor and gaming Picture: NCA NewsWire/Nikki Short

None of the officers will speak publicly, but it is understood the resignations were triggered by what one departmental source described as a “change in direction”, with investigators allegedly told to stop “hassling” clubs and pubs.

On Sunday, a NSW Government spokesman said three of seven officers involved in the departmental report had remained at Liquor & Gaming NSW. Of the others, two applied for jobs with and moved to NSW Fair Trading, another on a secondment moved on after it ended while a senior executive did not transition with L&G when it moved in to the Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade.

The report — which examined anomalies in gaming machine data between October 11 and 29 last year and had recommended further investigations — is understood to have been attached to a letter independent Liquor and Gaming Authority chairman Philip Crawford sent to the NSW government when he had called for a commission of inquiry.

Criminals are laundering dirty money through poker machines.

Instead, the NSW Crime Commission took up the investigation, releasing its own report last week which found while criminals were funnelling “billions of dollars of dirty cash” through

poker machines in pubs and clubs.

The Commission report declared the “cleaning” of the proceeds of crime not to be widespread, but stated “large sums” of the proceeds of crime were being gambled by criminals “rewarding and perpetuating crime in the community”.

It also noted how the lack of traceable data collected by EGMs meant the exact scale of criminal activity was “impossible to determine”, but that it was clear it involved “many billions of dollars every year.”

However, its recommendation for mandatory cashless gaming to be introduced has been met with hostility from industry, and several Nationals and Liberal MPs who believe it hurt family-run pubs in the bush.

Facing growing pressure from the independents — whose support may well be needed after the March state election — Premier Dominic Perrottet on Friday committed to cashless gaming, but declared it needed the support “from all sides of politics”.

Labor leader Chris Minns has so far refused to commit to the idea.

Both leaders have been approached for a meeting by Wesley Mission chief executive and Superintendent Minister Stu Cameron and the Anglican Dean of Sydney Sandy Grant, who are concerned at the number of people affected by problem gambling.

“We are heartened by the Premier’s comments and look forward to a meeting,” Rev Cameron said.

Mr Anderson said the cashless gaming trial under way at Wests New Lambton was operating successfully, with more than 80 members signing up since October and live transactions taking place.

It is understood the club is looking to sign up 200 members, with active promotions taking place via a range of communications.

“There continues to be a steady increase in the number of members signing up,” he said.

It is understood the digital wallet allows patrons to set limits and access spend data.

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