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Latest news

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To keep up to date with changes, new resources and information on gaming laws and RCG, join our free gaming eNews service and receive news directly to your email in-box.

Draft Casino Control Regulation 2009

The Department of the Arts, Sport and Recreation is proposing to make the Casino Control Regulation 2009. This Regulation would replace the existing Casino Control Regulation 2001, which is due to expire on 1 September 2009.

Have your say! Have your say!

Submissions will be accepted until 5:00pm on 1 July 2009 Find out more

New Gambling Signage

gaming sign

Requirements for the display of new gaming signage, player information brochures and contact cards commence on 1 June 2009 as a result of new rules introduced by Government.

Venues have 6 months (1 December 2009) to ensure the new contact cards are on display and 12 months (1 June 2010) to ensure the new signage and updated player information brochures are on display.

During the transition period, venues must have in place either the former gaming signage or the new materials.

Want to know more?

Read our new Gaming Machine Harm Minimisation fact sheet on our information hub page for an overview of the new materials.

How do I order these new resources?

Visit the 'Purchase purchase our products' web page for details.

Public invited to comment on new lotteries framework

On 9 April 2009 the Government announced its intention to proceed with the sale of NSW Lotteries Corporation, and to provide the Minister for Gaming and Racing with the power to grant a licence to an approved operator to conduct public lotteries in New South Wales.

Read more and view the discussion paper
Read the Minister's media release

Gaming machines changes

Important changes to the gaming machines law commenced on 31 January 2009.

The most important changes are about:

For a detailed overview of the changes read the New gaming laws – an overview fact sheet and guidelines.

Venues may have to submit applications for gaming matters. New application forms are available for some application types. More will be released shortly.

Change to gaming machine adviser licence

From the 31 January 2009, people who work as gaming machine advisers will no longer need to hold a licence.

However, advisers will need a seller’s licence if they wish to continue to sell approved gaming machines, either as a principal, an agent or on behalf of an employer.

Previously, the licence covered acting as a gaming machine adviser and as a seller of approved gaming machines.

A licence renewal invoice was issued in January 2009 to pre-existing advisers. The invoice offered the option of obtaining a seller’s licence.

Gaming machine advise usually work under a contract and advise venues about matters such as gaming machine placement, different types of machines, software and management of gaming machines or provide analyses or reports about gaming machines.

Please see the Gaming Machines Amendment Act 2008 for more details.

Tax deferral assistance for gaming venues

Clubs and hotels suffering financial hardship can seek assistance from the gaming machine tax deferral scheme.

The scheme was to operate for twelve months but has been extend by one year. For clubs, the scheme will now operate until the February quarter 2010 and for hotels until the June quarter 2010. Venues requiring the deferral must apply by email each quarter.

What assistance is provided?

Hotels or clubs that meet the criteria can pay their gaming machine tax in three equal monthly instalments without being charged interest for late payment. For example, the Office of State Revenue (OSR) will debit eligible clubs for the May quarter tax assessment in three equal instalments on 22 June 2009, 21 July 2009 and 21 August 2009.

Who may apply?

Hotels or clubs that have a downturn in gaming machine revenue of 15% or greater are eligible to apply i.e. if the hotel or club’s gaming machine revenue for the twelve months to the end of the quarter has decreased by 15% or more compared with the twelve months to June 2007 for hotels and the twelve months to May 2007 for clubs.

Where a club has multiple premises, as is the case with gaming machine tax assessments, each premises will be assessed separately. Your application should contain the name and premises number of the premises for which you are seeking assistance.

Where do I send my application?

If you meet the above criteria you simply need to send an email to cms-bu@olgr.nsw.gov.au requesting participation in the scheme. A fresh application must be made each quarter. You will receive an email reply to confirm your participation in the scheme each quarter.

Clubs applying for assistance for the quarter ending May 2009 must email the application no later than 17 June 2009. Hotels applying for assistance for the quarter ending June 2009 must email the application no later than 17 July 2009.

Assistance already provided

Clubs Hotels

Who can I contact for further information?

Please call the CMS Business Unit on 02 9995 0468 with any enquiries regarding the scheme.

RCG training scheme - important changes

As a result of a *regulation gazetted on 28 November 2008, there are important changes to the Responsible Conduct of Gaming (RCG) training scheme which take effect from 1 December 2008. The changes bring this scheme into line with Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training.

* View the Gaming Machines Amendment Regulation 2008.

Responsible Gambling Fund research

We’ve created a Responsible Gambling Fund research hub on our website. This is part of the ongoing objective of the Responsible Gambling Fund to support research into gambling and problem gambling in order to better inform the development of responsible gambling and related policies and programs.

You can search for current and proposed research reports commissioned by both our Office and Gambling Research Australia (GRA) or search for published reports dating back from 1995 by year or alphabetical order. Access the Responsible Gambling Fund research hub by going to Home > Responsible Gambling Fund > Gambling research.

Media releases now available

Media releases issued by NSW Gaming and Racing Minister Kevin Greene as well as OLGR initiated media releases are now available on our website - Home > About us > Media releases.

eNews archives now online

You can now check out previous editions of liquor + gaming eNews from our website at Home > About us > Subscribe to eNews.

Watch out for rogues!

Gaming venues should be on the look-out for illegitimate winners – rogue people who claim winnings and are paid at the Centralised Cash Control Equipment (CCCE)* terminals. Venues need to be vigilant in monitoring their gaming rooms as some people have claimed winnings were their own, before legitimate winners got around to claiming their prizes.

A case in point happened recently at a Liverpool hotel, where a patron playing a gaming machine won $687. He went on to cash his money at the cashier's office which was located outside the gaming room. However, another patron was loitering in the gaming area and got to the cashier before the legitimate winner and claimed the prize. The hotel refused to pay the winner, claiming that the two people involved were in the scam together. However, our compliance officers investigated and found that the winning patron was right, and issued a $1100 fine to the hotel.

On another occasion in Parramatta, the bar and the gaming area were located in the same space in the hotel, and as staff were serving both alcohol and gaming, an illegitimate-winner managed to collect the $1200 prize money before the winner got around to collect. Police were called in and evidence on the CCTV showed the rogue-winner in action. Subsequently, the hotel had to pay the same funds again to the genuine winner.

*CCCE is a terminal where the cashier can remotely debit the accumulated credits obtained from a gaming machine and pay the gaming prize to the player claiming the prize.