ACT Labor’s Community Clubs Plan

I’m really excited to share ACT Labor’s continuing commitment reduce the number of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) in Canberra, to transition the ACT out of poker machines over the next 20 years.

Community clubs provide jobs, support junior sports, and host cultural events and create social spaces for our community to meet. However, there is significant cost to the community from clubs- and that is the harm caused from pokies.

To do this, ACT Labor will:

legislate a 20-year plan to reduce machine numbers in the Territory to 1,000 by 2045, through a mandated reduction of 500 machines every four years.

establish a Community Clubs Divestment Team in the ACT public service to support our community clubs through the planning system to diversify.

work with clubs to identify priority projects and developments such as affordable housing, aged care, and build-to-rent options.

collaborate to create a ‘club of the future’ in the Molonglo Valley—a community club without pokies.

introduce mandatory, account-based cashless gaming by 2026-27. This will include mandatory pre-commitment, mandated breaks in play, delayed top-up mechanism, delayed access to winnings.

revolutionise self-exclusion schemes to be account based exclusion, not facial recognition-based exclusion.

ban ATMs and EFTPOS withdrawals in clubs (multiple withdrawals from ATMs/EFTPOS is the most common reported behaviour that contributes to gambling harm in ACT gambling venues).

Our plan is progressive, practical, and proven. It’s designed to reduce the harm caused by gambling while ensuring that our community clubs are sustainable and thriving contributors to our community.