A Newcastle hotel has recently faced a fine of $7,540 after being found guilty of operating gaming machines outside authorised hours.
The Royal Inn Hotel, situated in Waratah, saw its licensee pleading guilty to 13 offences under the Gaming Machines Act 2001 in Downing Centre Local Court on 11 March, following an investigation conducted by Liquor & Gaming NSW.
Jane Lin, Executive Director of Regulatory Operations at Liquor & Gaming NSW, said: “These restrictions are in place to reduce the risks of gambling harm by limiting the time patrons can spend playing gaming machines. Apart from breaking the law, the Royal Inn Hotel placed its patrons at greater risk of gambling harm. As this case shows, venues that fail to abide by gaming machine trading hours can expect to be caught and face significant penalties.”
Liquor & Gaming NSW's investigation revealed that on three separate Saturdays in April 2023, specifically the 15th, 22nd and 29th, gaming machines at the hotel were operated during the shutdown period from 1am to 7am.
The hotel argued in court that the breaches stemmed from a genuine misunderstanding of the licence conditions by the approved manager.
In sentencing, the Magistrate noted the responsibility of licensees to ensure that their staff are adequately trained and underscored the need to send a message to venues that profit from operating gaming machines in New South Wales.
This case adds to a series of enforcement actions undertaken by Liquor & Gaming NSW to uphold gaming regulations and minimise gambling harm.
In January 2024, the licensee of Vbar, an inner Sydney venue, faced prosecution for breaching gaming harm minimisation measures by placing an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) in proximity to gaming machines.
Additionally, the regulator has initiated cashless gaming trials aimed at assessing the impact of technology on gambling behaviour and harm minimisation.
