A proposal to allow families of people harmed by gambling to request they be banned from NSW clubs has been described as "window dressing" brought about by "sheer terror" in the industry.
ClubsNSW has released a draft Gaming Code of Practice, which includes setting up an independent panel to determine whether exclusion was appropriate.
That panel would determine the length of the ban, while the proposals also include designating a responsible gambling officer in every club.
Employees would receive advanced training to help identify signs of problem gambling, while patrons showing serious indicators would be offered counselling or potentially barred from clubs.
Indicators can include seeking credit for gambling, borrowing money from other patrons, or admitting to stealing money to gamble, ClubsNSW said in a statement.
CEO Josh Landis said the body had been advocating for a system of family interventions since 2012.
"Families are best placed to know if a loved one is in trouble and needs help," he said.
"This new Gaming Code of Practice will ensure all clubs operate to standards which are higher than the legal requirements, giving members, patrons and the broader community greater peace of mind that they can feel safe in their club."
The Reverend Tim Costello from the Alliance for Gambling Reform believed the proposal was a seemingly positive concession which really amounted to "window dressing".
He suspected it was the product of the industry group's "sheer terror" that former NSW gaming minister, Victor Dominello, could have introduced a digital wallet to give real-time visibility to problem gambling and "predatory behaviour".
"It's all because ClubsNSW's whole model depends on problem gamblers," Mr Costello said.
Mr Costello questioned who would be on the panel to act as a truly independent party.
Previous attempts to curb the damage done by gambling addiction have included self-exclusion laws for problem gamblers.
However, in 2020, an ABC investigation found only one example of a fine or prosecution as a result of failing to prevent a self-excluded gambler from using poker machines.
Mr Costello said the "charade" of ClubsNSW had been "a complete joke" when it came to gamblers being banned.
"(It's) a complete joke with a nod to both sides of politics who have known it's a joke but take the donations from ClubsNSW and do their bidding," he said.
"That's where the intervention to demand Victor Dominello's scalp was proof of their power.
The proposal comes amid a three-month government advertising campaign to highlight the potential impacts of risky gambling behaviour.
Nearly one in 10 gamblers in NSW are considered at risk of harm, according to the Director of the Office of Responsible Gambling, Natalie Wright.
That cohort accounts for 70 per cent of total gambling expenditure, she said in a statement this week.
ClubsNSW also suggested lifetime bans for suspected money launderers.
The NSW Crime Commission has this month called for submissions as part of an inquiry into money laundering in pubs and clubs.
Mr Landis said as the industry awaits the commission's findings, clubs remained unwilling to be "used as pawns".
He said the draft rules were ready for consultation with clubs, government and other relevant stakeholders to identify any practical issues with implementation.
Reform advocate Kate Seselja, who's previously experienced gambling harm, said there was no "magic bullet" for the problem.
"Creating space for the person to be able to regather themselves, get control of themselves mentally again, rather than being mentally hijacked by a machine designed to addict, is an important thing," she said.
Ms Seselja said she was introduced to pokies aged 18 and through a previous relationship, but at her worst point, they left her in a state of "total desperation", exhaustion and confusion.
"I didn't understand it was a machine intentionally designed to addict," she said.
"I think so many Australians are blindsided by this addiction because it's been so normalised. It's so accessible."
Ms Seselja said third-party interventions needed to be considered but remained "very wary" of any industry-led innovation.
"This isn't an industry that does anything out of the kindness of their heart.
"If they did, they wouldn't have the landscape that currently exists, of the most powerfully-addictive machines in the world."
