The NSW Liberals will push to axe exemptions that allow pubs and clubs to operate poker machines during the 4am to 10am shutdown period, despite opposition from Nationals colleagues, who have argued that regional venues could be unfairly disadvantaged.
Venues claiming financial hardship or boosted tourism benefits can apply for a shorter shutdown period, and those that had pokies before 1997 can be allowed different shutdown hours.
Under a Greens bill before the NSW upper house, the mandatory shutdown period would be extended to cover midnight to 4am, with no exemptions, in a bid to stop problem gamblers playing.
Research has shown that almost 12 per cent of punters play pokies between midnight and 8am, and late-night play was strongly linked to problematic gambling behaviour.
In Monda