Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders still tight-lipped on gambling reform

"The NSW Government is close to finalising its proposal, and will have more to say soon," he told the Daily Liberal.

"I've been talking to local clubs, and we've always said we will work with industry to fix the problem while protecting jobs. I'm confident we can do both."

According to the latest Liquor and Gaming NSW data, there are 653 gaming machines across 22 clubs and hotels in the Dubbo Regional Council area.

And the machines are big money for the hospitality industry, with venues across Dubbo raking in just under $24 million in the six-month reporting period.

However, experts in crime prevention have urged the government to tighten laws around pokie machines following a NSW Crime Commission report released last year which found billions of dollars in dirty cash was being laundered through the machines every year.

Leading charities and anti-gambling advocates have also called for cashless gaming cards, saying the move would reduce problem gambling.

Premier Dominic Perrottet has spoken strongly in favour of reform, saying with "no ambiguity" NSW would move towards cashless gaming cards and spending limits.

"I've made this very clear, there should be no ambiguity, we are going to cashless pokie machines in NSW," he told reporters at a press conference last week.

"We will fix the problem that was identified by the crime commission. We will protect jobs, we will work with industry, and I believe we can do both."

Despite the premier's bold statements, other members of the coalition have been erring on the side of caution when it comes to speaking on gambling reform.

Speaking to ABC Radio last week, NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole echoed Saunders' statements that the coalition would be working with industry on the issue to "protect jobs" - especially in regional NSW - but didn't state outright support for cashless cards.

"We need to actually work with industry to determine what is going to be the right outcome," he said.

"We also know that technology on the machines in regional and rural New South Wales is quite different to those in metropolitan areas. So I'm going to make sure that we don't see jobs being lost in the regions."

With a May election date set and Labor's gambling reform proposal already unveiled, voters are calling on the Liberal and National parties to come forward with a clear policy statement.

Should they be successful after the next election, NSW Labor has promised to ban political donations from the clubs sector, introduce a year-long cashless gaming trial of 500 machines, ban gaming advertising outside venues and drop poker machine cash input limits.

"I am determined to make sure all changes are evidence-based, common sense based so we don't have a fiasco like the greyhounds or lockout laws," said NSW Labor leader Chris Minns.

"That's when we got to the situation where all the goodwill in the world meant that a policy that was meant to make a difference didn't make a difference."

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