The gambling regulatory body of New South Wales (NSW) has revealed that almost 99% of the inspected clubs and pubs complied with the external gambling advertising ban in the state.
At a time when anti-gambling campaigners’ concerns about gambling addiction and gambling-related harm have risen immensely, the Government of NSW initiated the implementation of some changes in the gambling sector. In May 2023, local lawmakers officially announced their plans to suspend external signs on clubs and pubs in the state promoting gambling services. Then, gambling operators that offer their services under the provisions of licences issued by the competent authorities were given some time to comply, with September 1st, 2023 being set as the due date for the measure to be brought into effect.
Only a month following the official implementation of the external gambling signs ban, Liquor and Gaming NSW – the body regulating the state’s gambling sector – revealed that an overwhelming majority of clubs and pubs comply with the new rules. According to a recent report released by the gambling watchdog, an investigation found that almost 99% of the New South Wales clubs and pubs that were subject to inspections have taken down their external gambling signs in line with the ban.
The local gambling regulatory body conducted a number of probes on more than 1,100 gambling locations with 35 metropolitan and eight regional local government areas. According to Liquor and Gaming NSW, the aforementioned number of venues accounted for about 50% of all gambling venues in New South Wales that currently offer electronic gaming machines at their customers’ disposal. The inspections found that only 16 of these venues had still not removed their external gambling signs.
After analysing the data gathered as a result of the inspections, the gambling regulatory body of the state concluded that almost 99% of the venues complied with the unveiled changes.
NSW Minister of Gaming and Racing Happy with the Progress Reached So Far
The Minister of Gaming and Racing, David Harris, confirmed that the external gambling signs removal was only a part of the Government’s bigger plan to tackle problem gambling. He shared that the competent authorities have been making pretty good progress with industry stakeholders, associations, and venues in New South Wales to inform, educate, and support all of them through the entire process on one hand, and ensure a high level of compliance.
Mr Harris also praised the sector’s understanding and efforts to fall in line with the ongoing regulatory changes and make a noticeable difference to the local cities and suburbs in terms of problem gambling.
On its turn, the gambling regulatory body said that its inspectors are currently addressing the instances of prohibited signage that have been identified during the probes to make sure what the cause for the delay in the signage removal had been. Liquor and Gaming NSW further noted that it intends to impose fines on the gambling venues that have not removed their external gambling signage as required under the new rules as of December 1st, 2023.
- Author
Olivia Cole
