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Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade
Liquor and Gaming New South Wales has launched the next phase in its targeted compliance program. This is to ensure that pubs and clubs comply with important gaming harm minimization measures.
Phase two is a continuation of a compliance program which has been in place for more than eighty-five inspections during the last seven months. In the first phase, 77 penalties were issued for violations related to gaming and three prosecutions have been initiated.
In this phase, Liquor and Gaming NSW will conduct 500 more inspections at clubs and pubs across the state. They will take a zero tolerance approach to any violations of gambling harm minimization policies.
Jane Lin, Executive Director of Regulatory Operations and Enforcement at Liquor and Gaming NSW said that while inspectors have found most venues to be in compliance, they are still identifying significant issues.
Included are:
* Places that do not operate in accordance with the primary purpose of the venue, i.e. only the gambling area or the bar within the gaming room.
Placement of ATMs near gaming machines
* Customers needing to go through gaming rooms in order to get to other areas of a venue.
Lin stated that “gaming harm-minimization is designed to ensure the safety of the gaming industry and minimize any harm associated with gambling.” Failure to comply with the requirements can result in fines of up to $5,500 or disciplinary action.
Our compliance program is designed to promote a safer gambling culture and protect patrons as well as the community at large from the problems associated with excessive gaming.
Inspectors will visit dozens of venues in metropolitan and regional NSW as part of this new phase of the program. This includes venues in Greater Sydney as well as the Liverpool Plains area, Tamworth and Armidale local government areas, Narrabri (Narrabri), Narrabri (Narrabri), Singleton Upper Hunter Muswellbrook, Narrabri Narrabri Narrabri Narrabri Narrabri Narrabri Narrabri Narrabri Narrabri Narrabri Narra Bri Narrabri Narrabri Narrabri Narrabri Narrabri Narrabri Narrabri Narrabri Narrabri Narrab
Lin stated that “our inspectors will be also observing any gaming signs during these inspections. They will be happy to answer any questions the venue operators might have regarding the signage ban which will come into effect on September 1, and provide any information.”
