Minister for Gaming and Racing
Games of two-up return for ANZAC Day
New campaign to combat anti-social behaviour in venues
Regulatory Roadshows launch
Regulator keeps focus on gaming offences after blitz
Kings Cross venues shut amid public safety concerns
New RCG training
ILGA to visit Northern Rivers Region
The Hon. David Harris MP was sworn in last week as the new Minister for Gaming and Racing.
Growing up on the Central Coast, he entered politics in 2007 when he was elected member for Wyong where he resides with his wife and two daughters. Prior to politics, he was a primary school principal and volunteers as a surf lifesaver.
Mr Harris is also the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty, Minister for Veterans, Minister for Medical Research and Minister for the Central Coast.
Across NSW, pubs and clubs will be permitted to organise and host two-up for ANZAC Day on Tuesday 25 April 2023.
Pubs and Clubs play an important role on ANZAC Day, providing a place for war veterans and the community to gather, reminisce and share the ANZAC spirit, with two-up an added incentive for people to head to their local. While venues do not need a permit, they are encouraged to fully understand and observe the traditional rules of the coin-tossing game, as well as their ongoing obligations around the responsible service of alcohol.
Find out more
The 2023 Liquor Accord Forum was held on Wednesday 5 April with more than 200 committed industry stakeholders across NSW coming together to discuss emerging issues, trends and industry priorities.
During the event, a new campaign “Just…Don’t” was launched to tackle anti-social behaviour among younger patrons of licensed venues.
The campaign targets young people attending bars, pubs and clubs, and educates them on drinking etiquette through posters and coasters for venues, as well as videos and social tiles for online use.
The Forum also marked the launch of a new Liquor Accord Strategy 2023-2025, which identifies five key priorities to support and strengthen liquor accords and provide local solutions to local issues.
Read more
Our Regulatory Roadshow events kick off in Newcastle on Tuesday 2 May, register here.
The Roadshow program forms part of our refreshed engagement model for the Hospitality and Racing sector. Our aim is to engage with industry across the state to share our regulatory approach and current priorities, as well as hear directly from the industry on their experiences.
These events are open to all industry members to come and engage with our executive team and their industry peers, while also providing an opportunity to learn about our planned activities and focus areas. Events are also being planned for July, September, and November 2023.
Read more about our roadshows
Liquor & Gaming NSW continues to take a zero-tolerance approach to venues breaching gaming laws, following a compliance blitz in late 2022 that found offences at around one fifth of venues.
Inspectors are revisiting venues caught during the blitz to ensure corrective action has been taken, with those remaining non-compliant facing escalated penalties.
Inspectors completed over 300 visits across 282 venues late last year, identifying 49 breaches of gaming laws designed to minimise gambling-related harm, with more breaches uncovered this year.
Review the outcomes
Two Kings Cross venues have been forced to close temporarily after the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority issued them with Short Term Closure Orders due to significant threats to public health and safety.
The Authority ordered the licensed premises trading as "Maali Sydney" to close for 58 hours. After considering an application from NSW Police, the Authority formed the view that there was a substantial risk to public health and safety based on evidence including CCTV footage showing a violent brawl at the venue.
In a separate matter, the Authority also ordered the licensed premises trading as “Eros Sydney” to close for 60 hours, also to prevent or reduce a significant risk to the public.
Read more about the closures
New Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG) training has been introduced to give venue staff practical skills in identifying and supporting patrons who show signs of problem gambling.
This new training, mandatory for all staff with duties involving gaming machines, is a real gamechanger with a new focus in equipping staff with the practical skills to step in and give appropriate support and advice where it’s needed. The framework also includes an Advanced RCG program. Learn more about the framework which now applies.
Learn more
The NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) will visit the Northern Rivers region on 19 and 20 April to gain better insights into local issues as part of its Regional Engagement Strategy.
ILGA board members end executives will gain first-hand insights into how the local hospitality sector is coping with ongoing impacts of floods that have devastated the region.
They will also discuss licensing issues with local music festival representatives. The Northern Rivers region is home to iconic festivals such as Bluesfest and Splendour in the Grass.
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