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Liquor & Gaming NSW
eNews
22 December 2023

Hospitality and Racing News December 2023

In this issue

Vale Anthony Keon

A picture of Anthony KeonIt is with great sadness that we share news of the passing of Anthony Keon, our CEO of Hospitality and Racing, earlier this month at the age of 46, after a year-long battle with cancer.

If you would like to offer support to Anthony’s family, with the consent of Anthony’s wife Nimity, his H&R colleagues have set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the significant medical expenses associated with Anthony’s rare-form cancer treatment.

Tarek Barakat will continue to act in the CEO role into 2024.

NSW Parliament passes Vibrancy Reforms

this is an image of music venueLegislation designed to bring the vibrancy back to the NSW night-time economy has been passed by the NSW Parliament. This means the NSW Government has begun implementing the Vibrancy Reforms across the state, just in time for summer.    

There are a wide variety of changes to liquor laws, including relaxed trading conditions and incentives which came into effect on 12 December. Some of these incentives will apply automatically and some will apply on application.  

For information on the opportunities and changes for your licence, please visit Liquor & Gaming’s What’s Changing webpage.

Learn more about the changes

Compliance operations on underage gambling and drinking in casinos

this is an image of a gaming machineA Liquor & Gaming NSW compliance campaign is underway, targeting under 18s illegally gambling and drinking in NSW casinos and their associated hospitality venues, during the Christmas and New Year period.

For the first time, underage individuals caught in a casino will face bans on entering the casino for 12 months or more, and fines of $2,200.

Casino operators are reminded of their obligations to prevent minors from entering their venues including by ensuring that casino staff are checking IDs where necessary.

The compliance operation will continue into early 2024.

Read more

Zero-tolerance for venues displaying prohibited gaming signage

this is an image of a gaming machineLiquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) has begun the third and final stage of a compliance program targeting prohibited gaming signage.

A zero-tolerance approach is now in force, with escalated enforcement action to be taken against any venue found to have any illegal signage.

L&GNSW has already taken a range of enforcement action, including ordering two venues to remove newly installed signage that tried to circumvent the ban by using imagery extremely similar to visuals used on electronic gaming machines, find out more details here.

Failure to comply with Section 44 of the Gaming Machines Act 2001 can result in on the spot fines of $1,100 per offence or can attract a maximum penalty of up to $11,000 per offence. A breach of these provisions also forms grounds for disciplinary action.

Learn more

The Independent Panel on Gaming Reform agreed on broader cashless gaming trial

this is an image of a gaming machineThe Independent Panel on Gaming Reform has agreed on a bigger and broader cashless gaming trial as the Government continues its gambling reforms. 

This expanded trial will commence from the first quarter of 2024 and will include around 4,500 machines across 28 clubs and hotels, across 24 metropolitan and regional local government areas.

Follow for more information on the trial and on the Panel.

Exempt pathway for outdoor dining on private land and registered clubs made permanent

this is an image of people dining on the streetThe NSW Government has announced a permanent extension of the exempt pathway for registered clubs, food and drink premises, and artisan food industries to establish outdoor dining on private land, such as car parks and bowling greens.

Starting 1 January, 2024, venues can use their private land for outdoor dining as exempt development, with new standards ensuring patron safety and accessibility. While this allows more outdoor space, it does not permit an increase in maximum patron capacity. The permanent exempt development pathway offers venues a streamlined process for outdoor dining operations, and a complying development pathway for increased patron numbers is in progress.

Learn more about the extension

Food Handler training to meet new food safety requirements

this is an image of a food handlerFood service, caterer and related retail businesses in NSW need to meet new food safety requirements in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

The requirements apply to most businesses from 8 December 2023. Standard 3.2.2A is an extension of the Standard 3.2.2 food safety requirements. It applies to Australian businesses in food service, catering and retail sectors that handle unpackaged, potentially hazardous food that is ready to eat. Generally, this includes caterers, restaurants, cafés, takeaway shops, pubs, supermarkets and delis, food vans and other facilities serving food.

Bar staff will need to complete some form of training that covers the basic knowledge requirements for food handlers. This can be in-house training (sufficient evidence will need to be provided) or make the most of the free online Food Handler training offered by the NSW Food Authority.

Read more about the requirements

Heat protections to ensure the safety of staff and customers

this is an image of a sun Extreme heat or heatwaves are periods of unusually hot weather. In Australia, extreme heat events are responsible for more deaths than all other natural hazard events combined.

NSW Health recently launched their “Beat the Heat” campaign. Its toolkit provides the necessary resources and tools venues need to plan ahead to ensure the safety of their staff and customers over the summer.

L&GNSW Inspectors will be engaging with Licensees about this campaign over the summer months to encourage the implementation of these strategies.

Find out more

Hospitality and Racing holiday closedown

this is an image of our Christmas closedownIn line with NSW Government policy, Hospitality and Racing will be closed from Monday 25 December 2023 to Friday 5 January 2024, inclusive. Regular compliance activity will continue during this time. 

Our licensing and customer enquiry functions will operate at a reduced capacity during business hours, and will be closed for public holidays and Wednesday 27 December 2023. Please also allow extra time for processing of licence applications and amendments around this period.

We look forward to working together to further strengthen the NSW hospitality and racing sector in the new year.

Wishing you, your friends and family a happy and healthy festive season.

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