The Federal Government's poker machine laws passed Parliament last night.

Pubs and clubs will need voluntary pre-commitment technology on their machines, though the first venues will not switch it on until 2018.

The Government got a one-vote majority in the House of Representatives and the the legislation passed the Senate on Thursday evening with the support of the Greens.

Reverend Tim Costello, from the Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce, says parliamentarians were under enormous pressure to oppose the legislation.

"They still were able to have the Coalition vote against this bill, which was Coalition policy, and delay it some years, which just shows that to get any historic reform, small as this one is, is incredibly hard against vested interests," he said.

But he said the changes would make a difference to problem gamblers.

Independent MP Tony Windsor negotiated a delay in the implementation of the laws.

Mr Windsor said his amendments would reduce the impact of the changes on some regional clubs and pubs that relied on gaming revenue.

"If the trial is successful the industry will be able to adjust," he said.