Since the changes were announced in May, Liquor & Gaming NSW inspectors have engaged with 530 venues across 20 metropolitan and 12 regional Local Government Areas (LGAs), to provide education and support to industry to meet their new obligations by 1 September.
215 of the 530 venues visited so far were already complying with the new requirements ahead of the 1 September deadline, with the highest levels of early compliance identified in the Bayside, Canterbury-Bankstown and Fairfield LGAs.
Minister for Gaming & Racing David Harris commended venues that have already removed offending signage and urged other pubs and clubs to get on board.
“It's great to see industry and government working together to prevent and reduce gambling harm in the community,” Mr Harris said.
“We announced these changes back in May as a staged approach to ensure pubs and clubs were given the appropriate amount of time to conceal, remove and switch off any gambling promoting signage.
“While venues have until 1 September to comply, our expectation is that they remove signs as quickly as possible and not leave it until the last minute.
“Removing this signage is just one important part of our commitment to gambling reform to reduce harm and tackle money laundering head on in NSW, and we are delivering.”
Venues must remove, alter or conceal all external gambling-related signs, including fixed unilluminated awning signs and digital video displays. Names such as VIP Room/VIP Lounge, Golden Room/Lounge and Players’ Room/Lounge are among the names banned, as well as images of dragons, coins or lightning motifs.
The maximum penalty attributable for those who fail to remove their signs and breach the Act is $11,000, per offence.
“This Government is committed to evidence-based reform. We have achieved more in four months than the Coalition managed in twelve years,” Mr Harris said.
Removal of all external signage is just one part of the NSW Government’s broader gaming reform to reduce harm including:
- reducing the cash input limit from $5,000 to $500 for all new electronic gaming machines from 1 July 2023
- capping the number of gaming machine entitlements in circulation
- banning political donations from clubs involved in gaming
- introducing Responsible Gaming Officers at venues with more than 20 machines
- expanding a third-party exclusion register to the whole state
- establishing an independent panel of expert stakeholders including industry, harm minimisation organisations, academics, law enforcement, cyber security and the union movement to oversee the cashless gaming trial and recommend an implementation roadmap for gaming reforms.
More information on gambling related signage removal.
