Pause Play program to promote safe teen nightlife
5-kilometre rule for Clubs entry scrapped
Seizure of alcohol at the Oriental Express supermarket
GambleAware Week 2024 – Get involved
NSW Government delivers relief to support music festivals
Former North Ryde restaurant operator fined $6,000 for illicit alcohol sales
ATM placement exemptions for clubs and hotels
New resources spotlight best practice in liquor accords
NICC considers next steps after Bell Report released
Release of quarterly gaming machine data
A new program Pause Play, developed in Albury, is set to provide teenagers across NSW with the skills they need to safely visit licensed venues for the first time.
Offered by the NSW Government to local Liquor Accords, this program includes guidance on responsible behaviours, an explanation of the Barred from One, Barred from All initiative, and real-life scenarios on what could go wrong and how to react.
Read more about the program
The existing rule stopping people living within five kilometres of a registered club from signing in without first becoming a member is proposed to be scrapped, as part of the latest range of Vibrancy Reforms being introduced to Parliament next month.
The proposed removal of the rule is expected to encourage visitation by locals, who will be able to enjoy a meal, a drink and any entertainment without having to join, and allow businesses to focus on delivering a great experience for their patrons.
Read more about the rule
Inspectors from Liquor & Gaming NSW have seized 191 bottles and cans of alcohol from an unlicensed supermarket, Oriental Express, at Camperdown, Sydney. The store allegedly sold alcohol to undercover inspectors on 28 August without holding a liquor licence.The drinks for sale on the supermarket shelves ranged in alcohol content from 4.5 per cent to 56 per cent, with some featuring bright colours, fruit imagery, and emojis that may appeal to minors.
Selling alcohol without a licence is one of the most serious offences under the Liquor Act 2007, attracting fines of up to $11,000, jail time, or both. Liquor & Gaming NSW regularly conducts compliance operations in response to reports that some grocery stores sell alcohol without a liquor licence.
Read more about seizure
GambleAware Week is fast approaching. This year it will be held from 21-27 October and we need your help to spread the word. There are resources available on the GambleAware website for you to download and use to promote GambleAware Week in your venues and across your networks. You can display our posters and digital screens in your venues, post the videos to your social media accounts, or use the website and newsletter headers to send information to your stakeholders.
If you go one better and hold an event, please register and promote your event on the GambleAware website. For more information, visit the campaign page on the GambleAware website, or email info@responsiblegambling.nsw.gov.au
The NSW Government recently announced new regulatory and financial support for music festivals struggling under the pressure of increasing costs. This comes after the government reviewed the Music Festivals Act. As part of the proposed reforms, the Subject Music Festival designation will be removed and replaced by a requirement for certain festivals to have a Health and Medical Plan agreed by the Secretary of Health. This reflects an increased focus on health outcomes as a driver of improved safety at festivals. There will also be a process for festival organisers to seek reviews of user pays costs where these costs threaten the viability of the festival, review the full report now.
Punia & Sehgal Pty Ltd, the operator of Mad Down Under Bar and Grill in North Ryde, has been fined $6,000 in Downing Centre Local Court for selling alcohol illegally. The company pleaded guilty to two offences of selling liquor without a licence after selling alcohol to Liquor & Gaming NSW inspectors who were conducting two covert compliance operations, in which they seized 98 bottles of liquor and two kegs of beer.
Unlicensed venues pose a higher risk of alcohol-related harm, including minors buying liquor, the supply of liquor to intoxicated persons, and anti-social behaviour.
Any liquor held by a person found guilty of selling liquor without a licence may be subject to seizure and forfeiture.
Starting from 1 January 2025, cash dispensing facilities must be located outside a 5-metre radius of any entrance to, or exit from, a gaming area in a hotel or club.
Venues that cannot meet this requirement may be eligible for an exemption under certain limited conditions. Venues are now able to apply online here.
See the changes to cash dispensing facility signage and location in gaming venues page for more information on the new harm minimisation measures in respect to cash dispensing facility signage, visibility and location in hotels and registered clubs. Liquor & Gaming NSW has also developed a Campaign Paper that explains the new requirements and the timeline for implementation.
Two new video resources showcasing best practices within liquor accords are now available. These videos highlight projects that effectively contribute to harm minimisation in communities.The Gulgong Liquor Accord's Nightrider community bus service has reduced alcohol-related road incidents while improving community transport options. Meanwhile, Hastings Liquor Accord’s Barred From One, Barred From All policy promotes patron safety at licensed venues.
The NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) has released the second Bell Report into The Star while it considers next steps for the future of the suspended casino operator. Two volumes of the three-volume report were made public as the NICC continues to work through Mr Adam Bell SC’s findings and any implications that will flow from the second Bell Inquiry.
Gaming machine data reports have moved to quarterly publication following a review by Liquor & Gaming NSW. The increased frequency in publication will provide more transparency and better align with the end of financial year reporting for hotel and club data.
Some additional data will also be included:
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