Preparing an LIA

All clubs and hotels in NSW that operate gaming machines are classified in a risk ranking system based on the location of the venue, which determines the type of LIA the venue needs to complete to acquire additional gaming machines.

Under the LIA scheme, venues are put into a Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2) which is then ranked according to the relative risk of introducing additional gaming machines into that area.

All SA2s are then put into one of three bands depending on the gaming machine density, gaming machine expenditure and the socio-economic disadvantage of the SA2.

• Band 3: the bottom 20% - areas with the highest levels of socio-economic disadvantage
• Band 2: the middle 30%
• Band 1: the remaining 50% - areas with the lowest levels of socio-economic disadvantage

An LIA must be lodged with any application for an increase in a venue’s gaming machine threshold according to the following rules:

Capped Areas – If the Authority has imposed a cap on the area, an LIA cannot be approved if granting it takes the total of all approved gaming machine thresholds in the area above the approved cap.

A Class 1 LIA: requires the applicant to demonstrate that the proposed increase in the GMT will provide a positive contribution to the local community

A Class 2 LIA: requires the applicant to demonstrate that the proposed increase in the GMT will have an overall positive impact on the local community.

Find your LIA Band

An LIA is not required in certain circumstances, usually when machines are moving within a local area where an LIA was previously conducted, or where a venue is in a Band 1 SA2 and seeking an increase of 20 or less to its GMT.  Further information on whether an LIA must accompany your GMT increase application see GL4014 Class 1 LIA process guidelines PDF, 357.8 KB.

ILGA can only approve a Class 1 or Class 2 LIA if it satisfies matters specified in the legislation, including that:

• It demonstrates that the proposed increase in gaming machines will provide a positive impact towards (Class 1), or overall positive impact on (Class 2) the local community.
• Any community concerns raised in the consultation process are adequately addressed.

A Class 1 LIA requires the applicant to demonstrate that the proposed increase in the GMT will provide a positive contribution to the local community.

Application format

LIA documentation submitted by applicants should be succinct. All Class 1 LIAs must include a clearly marked executive summary of no more than three A4 single-sided pages. Further information about the documentation required and the format of your application can be found in the GL4014 Class 1 LIA process guidelines PDF, 357.8 KB.

Consultation requirements

To initiate the consultation process, within two working days of lodging your application with ILGA, you must provide a copy of the application and LIA to:

• the local council
• the local police
• local health district
• any organisation receiving funding from the Responsible Gambling Fund with presence in the local community
• any other organisations that provide services in the Local Government Area relating to:
  • welfare
  • emergency relief
  • financial assistance
  • Aboriginal health and legal assistance
  • gambling and addiction counselling or treatment and are listed as providing these services by the local council

A notice of the application and the LIA must also be advertised in a local newspaper and displayed outside the relevant venue.

Use the following templates for your notifications and advertisement:

• LIA Advertisement – Local Newspaper DOCX, 33.46 KB
• LIA Premises Notice DOCX, 33.64 KB​

A Class 2 LIA requires the applicant to demonstrate that the proposed increase in the GMT will have an overall positive impact on the local community.

Application format

LIA documentation submitted by applicants should be succinct. In preparing an application, venues should be mindful of the requirements under the Gaming Machines Regulation 2019 relating to the information that must be included as part of the LIA.

Consultation requirements

In addition to the consultation requirements listed above for a Class 1 LIA, an applicant required to undertake a Class 2 LIA must notify the above organisations before an application is lodged. This notification must include information prescribed under the Gaming Machines Regulation 2019, including:

• the date (referred to as the date for close of submissions) by which submissions about the proposed application may be made, being a date that is not earlier than 90 days after the date of the notification, and
• the date on which the proposed application is intended to be made to the Authority, being a date that is not less than 21 days after the date for close of submission.

Gaming-related information

Where an applicant is required to include gaming-related information as part of its application, the applicant can purchase gaming related information for each relevant SA2 and LGA.

Apply now: Gaming Machine Data Request PDF, 1199.71 KB

Fees: Reports range from $150 - $300

Social profile information

Social profile information required for each relevant SA2 and LGA should be obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Visit: ABS website.

Your application will be assessed and determined:

• after the conclusion of the consultation period
• where submissions raising concerns have been made during the consultation period - after the applicant has provided comments on those concerns to ILGA.

Applications will only be approved where ILGA is assured that the application satisfies matters set out in the legislation.

If the LIA is approved, ILGA:

• will determine the threshold increase application
• may approve a lesser increase than that sought (ILGA generally approves the requested increase unless particular circumstances warrant a lesser increase)
• may approve an increase subject to conditions

Determinations are published in the LIA Register.

Note: There is a limit on how long you may take from the date of ILGA’s determination to acquire the additional gaming machine entitlements under the new GMT. At the end of that period, if entitlements to fulfil the approved increase haven’t been acquired, the venue’s GMT will be reduced by the amount of the unused portion.

• Class 1 LIA: two years
• Class 2 LIA: five year
• Where no LIA is required: 12 months (Note: restrictions apply where the GMT increase has occurred through leased GMEs).

Assessment costs

The applicant must meet any costs incurred by ILGA in determining the LIA. ILGA may refuse to make a determination until arrangements have been made to cover those costs. Applicants will be advised of likely costs prior to them being incurred.

We are deferring a range of gaming-related payments for up to six months due to the impact of COVID-19 on clubs and hotels across NSW. Deferred payments include:

Community benefit payment

Community benefit payments to the Responsible Gambling Fund, due from 23 March 2020 to 30 September 2020, have been deferred for six months from the payment due date.

Gaming machine entitlements

After approval of a Class 1 Local Impact Assessment (LIA) clubs and hotels will have a six-month extension to acquire gaming machine entitlements. The extension applies for Class 1 LIA clubs and hotels that have been approved until 1 October 2020 to acquire all their permitted gaming machine entitlements.

Frequently asked questions.