Victoria mandates carded play for all poker machines by 2027

Victoria's crackdown on gaming intensifies as 26,000 poker machines face strict new rules. Will fines and subsidies speed up adoption before the deadline?

, and Administrator

2026 April 5 . 11:02 AM

1 min read

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Victoria mandates carded play for all poker machines by 2027

Victoria is pushing ahead with plans to enforce carded play across all gaming venues. A new bill, set for parliamentary debate this week, aims to make the system mandatory in pubs and clubs by the end of 2027. Meanwhile, a trial of the technology will soon begin in 40 selected venues across the state. The Victorian government first introduced the bill last November. If passed, it will require every poker machine in the state's 26,000-strong network to use carded play by 2027. Crown Melbourne, the state's only casino, already made the switch late last year and now has over 500,000 registered users.

Progress in pubs and clubs has been slower. As of early 2026, around 12,000 machines still lacked the technology. To speed up adoption, the government extended the original deadline to July 2026. It also allocated $50 million in subsidies to help venues upgrade their systems. Venues that fail to comply now face fines of up to $1 million. A trial phase will soon test the system in 40 venues. The results will help shape the final rollout across all remaining pubs and clubs.

The push for mandatory carded play comes as part of broader efforts to regulate gaming in Victoria. With Crown Melbourne already compliant, the focus now shifts to smaller venues. If the bill passes, every poker machine in the state will require the technology within the next two years.