Newcastle pub breaches gaming laws
The Royal Inn Hotel in Waratah has been fined 7540, fined for "serious breaches" of NSW’s gaming machine laws.
Liquor and Gaming NSW launched an investigation into the pub after it was revealed the venue was operating its gaming machines during its shut down operating times between 1am to 7am on Saturday 15, 22 and 29 of April.
The licensee pleaded guilty to 13 offences under the Gaming Machines Act 2001
"These restrictions are in place to reduce the risks of gambling harm by limiting the time patrons can spend playing gaming machines," Regulatory Operations executive director Jane Lin said.
"Apart from breaking the law, the Royal Inn Hotel placed its patrons at greater risk of gambling harm. As this case shows, venues that fail to abide by gaming machine trading hours can expect to be caught and face significant penalties."
The hotel said the breaches were due to a misunderstanding of the licence conditions by the approved manager.
The magistrate disagreed and said the onus was on the licensee to train staff appropriately.
The fine was given to send a message to all venues.
Jonathan Jackson, 14th March 2024
