L&GNSW fines Sydney CBD’s Vbar over ATM in gaming room

The regulator warned licenced venues to adhere to gaming harm minimisation measures.

Australia.- The New South Wales regulator, Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW), has issued a statement warning venues holding licences in New South Wales to comply with gaming harm minimisation measures. The warning comes after it found the licensee of Vbar on Liverpool St in Sydney’s CBD to be breaching the Gaming Machines Regulation 2019 by placing an Automatic Teller Machine in an “ATM room” attached to its gaming room. 

Inspectors from the L&GNSW found the ATM and the magistrate determined it was in the same part of the hotel as gaming machines. Large text reading “ATM” was displayed across the door to the room, on the gaming room side. The venue was fined AU$5,500. 

See also: L&GNSW fines SportChamps for repeat gambling ads violations

Liquor & Gaming NSW executive director, Jane Lin, emphasised the importance of separating ATMs from gaming rooms to prevent easy access to cash withdrawals. 

Lin said: “ATMs must be located in a part of the venue completely separate to gaming rooms or any other part of a venue where gaming machines are located, even if the internal design or fit-out of the room acts to screen the ATM.

“This is important because having such ready access to cash withdrawals can make it easier for gamblers to lose track of what they are spending, while locating ATMs further away from gaming machines can encourage them to have a break in play.

“These requirements are clearly outlined in the Gaming Machines Regulation 2019 and have been further communicated to licensees in an effort to prevent and minimise gambling harm. L&GNSW has a zero-tolerance approach for venue operators who do not comply with fundamental gaming harm minimisation measures.”

TheL&GNSW said inspectors are vigilant for:

• the availability of credit from ATMs on the premises of a venue
• the visibility of internal gaming-related signage (e.g. ‘VIP lounge’ ) from outside the venue
• hotel layouts that compel patrons to pass through a gaming room to access another area (or service) of the venue
• ensuring that self-exclusion signage is present in gaming rooms
• minors in gaming rooms or using gaming machines or electronic betting terminals
• compliance with Gaming Plans of Management