The union representing gaming room employees has undercut a key objection by the pubs and clubs industry to cashless gaming, saying there is little evidence it will lead to job losses and gambling reform is in everybody’s interest.
A report by the NSW Crime Commission last month found a “significant” amount of money put through the state’s poker machines was the proceeds of crime and recommended a mandatory cashless card to track transactions – a measure ClubsNSW and the Australian Hotels Association have warned will force venues to impose job cuts.
NSW poker machines in pubs and clubs turned over $95 billion in 2020-21.Credit: Peter Braig
But the United Workers Union (UWU) has disputed this claim and called for reforms to protect its members from gambling-related harms, including a high rate of problem gambling among staff and frequent exposure to distressing incidents. Some patrons wear nappies or urinate in their seats to avoid interrupting play, or become aggressive with staff when they are on a losing streak.
UWU gaming director Dario Mujkic said the majority of hotel and club employees worked in food and beverages and he was not convinced the impact of a cashless card on jobs would be significant. The hospitality industry generally faced a labour shortage.
“Gambling reforms like cashless gambling are coming and the industry does not have the luxury of ignoring them or rejecting them,” Mujkic said.
“We have to engage with cashless gambling because the community is invested in making gambling safer, more so now than ever. But it is critical for everyone that we get the technology and the detail of these reforms right, and workers must be involved in that conversation.”
Premier Dominic Perrottet has endorsed the introduction of cashless gaming cards, but not committed to a timeframe.Credit: Brook Mitchell
Premier Dominic Perrottet has endorsed the recommendation for a cashless card but not committed to a timeframe, and his deputy, Nationals leader Paul O’Toole, does not support it. Opposition Leader Chris Minns has stopped short of backing a mandatory pilot, saying he is concerned about the economic impact on the industry.
The United Workers Union, NSW Council of Social Services and Wesley Mission will release a joint statement on Thursday calling for better and more regular training for staff in gaming venues. They also want all venues to install staff-elected Registered Gambling Officers with specific powers to enforce gambling codes of conduct.
“Staff regularly witness the distress and anger of people who struggle to manage their gambling and may themselves experience harms ranging from financial stress and family relationship problems to significant physical and mental health impacts,” the statement says.
ClubsNSW said in a statement: “Logic would suggest that if a mandatory cashless gaming card will have no negative impact on club and pub jobs, it also won’t have an impact on gaming revenue or problem gambling rates. While we’d all love a silver bullet solution, unfortunately a mandatory gambling card is not it.
“ClubsNSW appreciates the work that the United Workers Union, Wesley Mission and NCOSS do, but when it comes to calculating the economic impact of a mandatory cashless gaming card on clubs and pubs, we will continue to rely on the expertise of those who actually work in the industry.”
Campbelltown Catholic Club chief executive Michael Lavorato has said a cashless card would have an immediate impact on jobs, though it was difficult to quantify how many would be lost.
A 2011 study published in the Journal of Gambling Issues found problem gambling rates among gaming venue employees was 9.6 times higher than the general population.
A casino worker, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak publicly, said some of his colleagues had turned to online gambling after observing big wins among patrons.
He once had a bottle thrown at him by a patron. He knew of patrons wearing adult diapers or urinating themselves to avoid leaving their machine or missing a chance to win at the baccarat table.
“There’s a lot of frustration by the guys who are losing directed towards the workers,” the croupier said. “Because the industry is based around people who are bringing in money to gamble, they do as little as they can to stop these patrons. Those who are regular gamblers are a lot more aggressive, a lot more angry.”
Wesley Mission chief executive Stu Cameron said staff are often forgotten in discussions about gambling harm.
“They have to clean up after people have sat at a machine for 12 hours straight. They are caught in the stress between knowing the right thing to do and what their manager is prepared to tolerate. And on top of everything, they are at greater risk of developing gambling problems themselves.”
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