Media Release: Treasurer rides roughshod over Independent Gaming Commission
Pokies Losses and Harm for 2025-26 Skyrocket as Predicted
30 July 2026
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb today exposed the unprecedented step taken this week by the Treasurer running roughshod over new rules developed and issued by the independent Gaming Commission on gaming room closure periods and instead imposing a watered-down version demanded by industry.
“This is political interference, pure and simple,” Ms Webb said.
“It demonstrates complete capitulation by the Rockliff Government to the malevolent influence of the poker machine industry in this State.
“At the requirement of a Ministerial Direction published just a month ago, the Gaming Commission developed and communicated to venues the new rule extending to seven hours the mandatory closure period for gaming areas in hotels – only to be overruled at the eleventh hour by the Treasurer.
“The Gaming Commission faithfully undertook the development of the new rule on gaming room closure periods, informed by evidence and in compliance with its legislated role to minimize harm to Tasmanians from gambling. The Commission’s new rule extended the mandatory closure period to the seven-hour period from 2am to 9am, standardized across all venues.
“Clearly, that wasn’t what the industry thought it had ordered with the sham ‘harm minimisation’ measures dictated to the Government and announced earlier this year.”
Ms Webb said having neglected to seek expert advice from the Gaming Commission on the fake harm reduction measures announced, RTI disclosures revealed the Government then ignored the explicit warning of the Commission that those measures created a greater risk of harm and introduced a money-laundering risk never before faced in this state.
“Now we have the independent Gaming Commission slapped down when it attempted to make the best of a bad lot and maximise the positive impact of extending the closure period for gaming areas by ensuring all venues closed for seven-hours at the same time.
“Obviously, when venues stagger their closure periods, the harm-reduction effectiveness of those closure periods is reduced as patrons are able move from one venue to the next – this can be addressed by mandating a consistent closure period for all venues, as is done in other States.
“The Treasurer’s intervention prevents even this small, positive harm reduction step from being progressed. It is a truly despicable act of hypocrisy.”
Ms Webb said that, at this rate, the Gaming Commission must be wondering why it should bother to attempt to do its job as statutory independent regulator of the poker machine industry in this state, tasked with providing independent expert advice to the government and reducing the harm caused to Tasmanians by gambling.
“With the Rockliff Government’s constant, obsequious surrendering to industry commands, the Gaming Commission is being utterly sidelined – it would be more honest to dispense with the charade and officially hand the hen house over to the foxes and stop pretending otherwise.”
Ms Webb said in relation to recent Government poker machine policy and regulation, it has been confirmed that:
- at the behest of the pokies industry, the Rockliff Government abandoned the gold-standard pokies card with loss limits, which the Deloitte Report found would not only be effective in preventing and reducing harm, but would also boost Gross State Product and create hundreds of jobs;
- when devising new measures to replace the abandoned nation-leading mandatory precommitment pokies card, the Rockliff Government did not initially seek advice from the independent Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission, and subsequently ignored the TLGC’s strong advice that the proposed measure would increase pokies harm for Tasmanians;
- in response to industry demand and in last minute desperation to prevent the independent Gaming Commission undertaking its statutory role with a new evidence-informed rule to implement a standardized seven-hour closure period for pokies venues, Treasurer Abetz issued a new Ministerial Direction to overrule the Commission – an unprecedented example of Ministerial political interference.
For reference:
From Tasmanian Government Gazette 24 June 2026, Ministerial Direction:
The Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission is to:
- extend the mandatory closure period for gaming areas in hotels and licensed clubs that are operating gaming machines to be seven continuous hours every 24-hour period, effective from 1 August 2026.
From TLGC correspondence to stakeholders of 20 July 2026:
I am writing to advise you of amendments to the Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission Rules regarding mandatory gaming machine area closure hours, which take effect from 1 August 2026.
On 23 June 2026, the Treasurer issued the Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission Ministerial Direction (No. 1) 2026, directing the Commission to implement a suite of harm minimisation measures for electronic gaming machines.
One of the key measures in the Ministerial Direction is the requirement that gaming machine areas in hotels and licensed clubs be closed for seven continuous hours in every 24-hour period.
Following consultation with affected industry stakeholders and consideration of submissions received, the Commission has determined that a standard closure period of 2:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. daily will apply to all gaming machine areas in hotels and licensed clubs from 1 August 2026.
In reaching this decision, the Commission considered several important factors, including:
- Reducing the risk of patrons moving between venues to continue gambling during the early hours of the morning. This is an important harm minimisation measure, particularly for individuals experiencing gambling-related harm; and
- Improving administrative and operational efficiency through a consistent closure period across all venues, supporting effective compliance and regulatory oversight, and providing a clear and easily understood message to the public regarding gaming area operating hours.
The Commission considers that the 2:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. closure period strikes an appropriate balance between existing operating arrangements for the majority of venues and the views expressed during the consultation process.
Please note that this seven-hour closure period does not apply to the game of keno, which continues to be restricted to a four-hour continuous closure.
Below is a link to the amended TLGC Rules on the Liquor and Gaming Branch website, which have been approved by the Commission.
You should review the amended Rules and ensure that your venue’s operating procedures are updated to comply with the new mandatory closure hours from 1 August 2026.
Thank you for your cooperation and ongoing commitment to responsible gambling and regulatory compliance.
From new Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission Rules 1 August 2026, page 4, published online 29 July 2026:
The following applies to a venue operator: …
1.9 Maximum gaming hours – gaming machines Gaming machines must not be available in each hotel and licensed club between 2am and 9am.
From Special Tasmanian Government Gazette 29 July 2026, Ministerial Direction (displacing Ministerial Direction of 24 June):
The Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission is to:
- extend the mandatory closure period for gaming areas in hotels and licensed clubs that are operating gaming machines to be seven continuous hours every 24-hour period, without specifying the start time of the closure period, effective from 1 August 2026.
