News
Amended Gaming Machine National Standard to reduce gaming harm
Liquor & Gaming NSW led a cross-jurisdictional reform of the Gaming Machine National Standard (GMNS) in collaboration with the National Standard Working Party.
The updated GMNS 12.1 which includes a range of consumer protection and harm minimisation reforms will come into effect in NSW on 12 March 2026.
Key changes include:
- limiting free games, win multipliers and in-symbol prizes
- prescribing prohibited ‘near-miss’ designs
- prohibiting non-linear paytables and “loss-disguised-as-wins”.
When the amended GMNS takes effect in NSW
Most reforms in the GMNS 12.1 will take effect in NSW on 12 March 2026, with an extended 12-month transition offered for two of the reforms that may require programmable changes.
For more information please visit Liquor & Gaming’s Designing gaming machines and Technical standards webpage.