Liquor & Gaming NSW has ordered two Sydney pubs to either relocate or screen gaming machines which had been available to patrons in both venues via interconnected rooms.
Hotels in New South Wales are limited to a maximum of 30 gaming machines under state legislation, however Liquor & Gaming NSW Executive Director Regulatory Operations & Enforcement, Jane Lin, revealed this week that the two venues in question, the Gaslight Inn and The Colombian Hotel in Darlinghurst, had circumvented this law by providing joint access – effectively operating their gaming rooms together as one expanded gaming room.
“Patrons at both venues are effectively being given direct access to 55 gaming machines instead of the legislated hotel maximum of 30 because of the interconnected rooms,” Lin said.
“The existence of a door between the two gaming rooms serves the sole purpose of facilitating patrons to move from one gaming room to the other. This circumvents the gaming machine limits imposed on hotels, which exist as a harm minimization measure.”
Section 44A of the Gaming Machines Act 2001 allows a direction to be issued where gaming machines in venues are located in a manner that is designed to attract members of the public outside of the venue and is contrary to the public interest.
The regulation also requires gaming machines to be situated so that they cannot be seen from any place outside the hotel that is used by the public or to which the public has access, including other licensed premises.
“The government and the community not only expect technical compliance with the state’s gambling laws, but for the spirit and intent of those laws to be met,” Lin said.
“Liquor & Gaming NSW takes a zero-tolerance approach to venues that do not comply with gaming harm minimisation requirements. While the majority of venues do the right thing, those who breach these laws can expect to face the full force of the law.”
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