The regulatory body Liquor & Gaming NSW, the authority in charge of monitoring gambling practices in New South Wales, has made an announcement stating it has imposed a fine of AUD 7,540 on a Newcastle-based hotel. The regulator found the hotel culpable for infracing state gambling legislations by running gaming machines during unapproved hours.
As stated by Liquor & Gaming NSW, the subjected hotel is none other than the Royal Inn Hotel located in Waratah, a suburb of Newcastle. The hotel’s license holder admitted to 13 offenses under NSW’s Gaming Machines Act 2001 during proceedings at Downing Centre Local Court on March 11, as per the declaration made by the regulating body.
The Royal Inn Hotel’s licensee, consequently, was hit by an AUD 7,540 fine from the governing authority, accompanied by a stern warning that such offenses are regarded seriously.
The official announcement highlighted that a thorough probe was conducted by Liquor & Gaming NSW. The Australian regulator undertook a comprehensive assessment of the hotel’s gaming processes and discovered that its gaming machines remained functional during restrictive timing, from 1 am to 7 am, on April 15, 22, and 29, 2023. This implies that games were accessible for play on three back-to-back Saturday nights.
The Breaches Were a “Consequence of an Authentic Misinterpretation”
A representative from the Royal Inn Hotel admitted in court that the contraventions resulted from a “genuine misinterpretation of the license conditions by the approved manager.” Yet, the Magistrate attributed the blame to the hotel, considering it should have ensured the right level of training for its staff.
Jane Lin, Executive Director of Regulatory Operations at Liquor & Gaming NSW, shared her view on the incidence, categorizing Royal Inn Hotel’s offenses as “grave violations of the state’s gaming laws.” She elucidated that regulatory restrictions are certainly not aimless; instead, they serve to protect consumers from being excessively exposed to potential gambling risks.
These constraints are imposed with the intention to reduce the dangers associated with gambling by limiting the duration patrons can engage with gaming machines. Royal Inn Hotel did not just infringe the law, but also put its patrons at a higher risk of gambling harm.
Jane Lin, Executive Director of Regulatory Operations, Liquor & Gaming NSW
Apart from this, Lin conveyed that the regulator, without any hesitation, would locate those who disregard the trading hours of gaming machines and impose substantial penalties.
