Three Sydney pubs slapped with hefty penalties
NSW’s gaming police have slapped a trio of Sydney pubs with hefty penalties this week, with Homebush West’s Wentworth Hotel—owned by billionaire pub baron Sam Arnaout—copping the maximum $22,000 fine for letting patrons pull out cash on credit and for behaviour “likely to encourage the abuse of gambling”.
The Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) handed down the decision last week, rounding out a busy enforcement run that also saw the Concourse Hotel at Wynyard hit with $110,000, and Paddington’s Olympic Hotel fined $44,000.
At the Concourse, inspectors found pokies spinning during the mandatory 4am–10am shutdown—something regulators view as a major risk period for gambling harm. Over in Paddington, the Olympic had unplugged three machines from the central monitoring system used for tax calculations—another big no-no.
Liquor & Gaming NSW executive director Dimitri Argeres said the $110k bill for the Concourse reflected just how serious the offence was, noting only two bigger penalties have been issued since ILGA’s formation in 2007—one to Dee Why RSL in 2020 and another to ALH for pouring free drinks to keep gamblers playing. “The frequent and repeated operation of gaming machines during the six-hour shutdown period over eight months is an extremely serious breach of laws aimed at reducing gambling harm,” Argeres said.
“Providing patrons with access to gaming machines during the shutdown period increases the risk of gambling harm.”
Greens MP Cate Faehrmann argued fines aren’t cutting it and wants tougher consequences including stripping poker machine entitlements or hiking penalties. “These clubs have deliberately and callously flouted lawful measures put in place to reduce gambling harm,” Faehrmann said. “The government needs to make an example of them. They would have to have known that the revenue made by breaking the law far outweighs the maximum fine they can be charged and that’s why they’ve done it.”
The Wentworth—regularly among NSW’s top earners by net gaming profit per machine and a flagship of Arnaout’s Iris Capital stable of 30-plus pubs—drew particular attention for ATM activity. ILGA found $221,000 was withdrawn over seven months across 2022–23, including $80,000 between midnight and 6am. “Providing patrons with ready access to cash from a credit card account significantly increases the risks of patrons gambling beyond their means,” ILGA found. “The hotel consistently ranks in the top 10 hotels in the state by net gaming profit per machine and should be held accountable.”
The venue removed the ATM’s credit function in 2023, but the regulator has made clear the earlier conduct crossed the line—hence the maximum hit. The broader message to operators: the shut-down window is not optional, credit access is off-limits, and tampering with monitoring systems will cost you.
Jonathan Jackson, 11h November 2025
