The long-awaited final report into the potential for cashless gaming in NSW, released on Tuesday, calls for a statewide account-based system by 2028 to prevent money laundering and reduce problem gambling.
Accounts would have default non-binding spend, deposit and time limits.
They would hold no more than $5000 to help nudge players to walk away.
The independent panel was established in 2023 after a NSW Crime Commission report into extensive money laundering through pokies fuelled political momentum for reform.
Pokie machine users told an inquiry they had privacy concerns about the cashless system. (Paul Jeffers/AAP PHOTOS)
But panel chair Michael Foggo said a six-month voluntary trial and other evidence showed players resisted account-based gaming out of concern banks and governments could monitoring their gambling.
"People are concerned about data privacy and security, government involvement, banks looking over their shoulder and a range of other issues that inhibit them from signing up," Mr Foggo told AAP.
"Those issues need to be addressed in the future."
The panel recommended players be allowed to deposit a limited amount of cash into their gaming accounts and for cash payouts to remain, albeit with a tightening of the current threshold.
The cashless gaming trial, which Premier Chris Minns said would help build an evidence-based roadmap for gaming reform, inducted 14 "genuine users" - only three of whom were willing to engage further with researchers.
Ex-Liquor and Gaming Commissioner Michael Foggo was tasked by Premier Chris Minns with the review. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)
Australian Hotels Association NSW labelled the subsequent findings "embarrassing and not credible".
But Mr Foggo defended the research, saying it provided "an unbelievable wealth of information" about why people might be cautious about account-based gaming.
The former head of NSW's liquor and gaming watchdog also rejected industry suggestions it could cost $1 billion to ensure all of NSW's 92,000 poker machines could receive messages from a central database.
Poker machines are already replaced every three to five years and had a maximum life of seven years, Mr Foggo said.
But he accepted the process to sign-up for account-based gaming, currently 30 minutes per player, was too slow.
Mr Minns said the government was still digesting the 500-page report, which covered several industries, new technology and questions about who should foot the bill for changes.
The opposition criticised the report as saying little and being based on a flawed process.
Opposition gaming spokesman Kevin Anderson describes the review as an 'A-grade flop'. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)
"The panel also did not adhere to the terms of reference as it did not consider any economic modelling in relation to the impact on industry and jobs," gaming spokesman Kevin Anderson said.
"Chris Minns promised this trial would provide the path forward for cashless gaming in NSW, but he has yet again kicked the issue down the road with this A-grade flop."
The former coalition government went to the 2023 state election with a promise to introduce mandatory cashless gaming.
The Victorian government recently introduced major poker machine reforms to parliament that would include carded play and slower spin rates.
Australia has an estimated 185,000 poker machines, with more than one machine per 110 people in both NSW and the Northern Territory.
24°C