Minister for Gaming Shane Rattenbury said the government had opted for clubs to provide shelter during these emergencies because they are easily accessible across the territory.

"Many of these club venues provide our community with access to ventilation and air-cooling systems that many people just don't have in their own homes," Mr Rattenbury said in a statement.

Clubs will be part of a suite of locations which could offer refuge, with other options including libraries, child and family centres and community centres.

A panel of ACT government directorates will assess the suitability of the club before it can be "activated" as a community refuge by ministerial declaration.

When a refuge declaration is in place, clubs will be allowed to claim certain expenses as community purpose contributions under the Gaming Machine Act.

They will be required to have an area separate from gaming machines and an open bar so that it is suitable to be used as a heat and smoke refuge.

Dr Paterson, an advocate for gambling harm reduction, said the bill is concerning.

"What concerns me about this bill is that it will be encouraging people to enter an environment during times of potential great mental and health stress - an environment that is predominately designed around the sale of alcohol and gambling product," she said in a statement.

"Further, the people that would be most likely to access a club as a 'smoke and heat refuge' are potentially the most vulnerable in our community, those that do not have cooling or good ventilation in their homes."

Many Canberrans may also avoid clubs due to cultural, religious, or moral beliefs that preclude them from attending locations involved in the provision of alcohol and gambling.

She also said the bill was "potentially highly discriminatory" for people who self-exclude in the ACT, and may hold significant human rights concerns.

The program is planned to be in place by December 2023 and is part of the Labor-Greens governing agreement.

Mr Rattenbury said Canberrans would endure more extreme weather events in the coming years, and it is "vital" residents have places to go during such emergencies.

"Canberrans can still remember the extreme smoke that choked the air during the 2019/20 summer bushfires and the record-breaking temperatures, as vulnerable members of our community struggled to find respite from the smoke and the heat," he said.

"Heatwaves kill more Australians than any other natural disaster. Heat stress can exacerbate existing health conditions including diabetes, kidney disease and heart disease.

"In Canberra, there were nine days that reached 40 degrees between 1913 and 2006.

"In the 15 years since 2007, Canberra has topped 40 degrees 21 times."

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ClubsACT chief executive Craig Shannon said the group welcomed the announcement and had been working with the government on this matter.

"From a members' point of view, we were providing those sort of facilities even without legislation or without government involvement," he said.

"If you recall the last major bushfires a couple of years ago, a number of our clubs played significant roles in supporting the community in that regard, at the time it evacuation centres or otherwise."

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