Compliance blitz to ensure venues meet new gaming harm minimisation measures

Liquor & Gaming NSW has kicked off a compliance blitz on new gaming harm minimisation measures, ahead of additional training requirements coming into force for senior staff of licensed venues.

Inspectors visited 528 hotels and clubs across NSW in July and August to ensure venues were complying with new requirements relating to Responsible Gaming Officers (RGOs), gambling incident registers, ATM signage and Gaming Plans of Management (GPOM).

The operation comes amid new requirements for senior staff to undertake training to ensure venue leaders can support a culture of gaming harm minimisation.

The new requirements are part of the NSW Government’s commitment to deliver evidence-based reform that helps prevent gambling harm and money laundering, and supports local communities and jobs.

Venues have shown a readiness to adopt the additional harm minimisation requirements, with inspections since 1 July finding 93 per cent of venues are complying with new measures required since that date. The majority of breaches found related to new ATM signage requirements.

Inspectors are continuing their work across the state to ensure industry is aware of its obligations and are complying with the new requirements as they come into effect.

Liquor & Gaming NSW Executive Director Regulatory Operations Jane Lin said the new requirements were an important next step in minimising gambling harm.

“Inspectors re focusing on Gaming Plans of Management to ensure they have the required content included, as well as testing that the policies and procedures in the plan are being adhered to.

“It’s important that venues not only have a plan prepared, but ensure their staff are aware of the contents and are checking to make sure it is being complied with.”

The new requirements are part of the government’s commitment to deliver an evidence-based reform that reduces gambling harm, stops money laundering, and supports local communities and jobs.

Under the new rules, club secretaries, club directors, hotel licensees, hotel managers and staff who are responsible for the management of gaming operations will all be required to undertake training on the practical skills to identify and proactively intervene when patrons are showing signs of gambling harm.

As part of a suite of gambling reforms, licensed venues have recently been required to:

-maintain and conduct monthly reviews of a Gambling incident register from 1 July 2024, that records instances of potential or actual gambling harm identified in the venue

-introduce RGOs into hotels and clubs with more than 20 gaming machine entitlements from 1 July 2024

-create and maintain a Gaming Plan of Management from 1 September 2024, and update at least annually.

From 1 January 2025, ATMs must be located outside of a five-metre radius of any entrance or exit of a gaming area in a hotel or club.

Venues that cannot comply with this requirement can seek an exemption from L&GNSW in some circumstances.