Pubs and clubs in New South Wales with gaming machines are now required to comply with important new measures intended to embed a culture of harm minimisation in venues to support people at risk of gambling harm.

Venues with more than 20 gaming machines now need to have a dedicated Responsible Gambling Officer (RGO) on duty while gaming machines are in operation.

Under the changes, licensed venues are also banned from placing any signage or advertising relating to gaming machines either on, or visible from, an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) or EFTPOS terminal.

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Any sign that advertises or gives direction to ATMs or EFTPOS terminals will also not be allowed to be visible from a gaming machine or any part of a gaming area.

Venues will be given a month’s grace period to ensure they are compliant with the new ATM signage rules before enforcement activity commences in August.

The NSW Government has consulted industry and stakeholders on the new requirements.

Venues will be responsible for identifying and training suitable staffs to fulfil the role of Responsible Gambling Officers, who will help identify and support patrons displaying concerning gambling behaviour, make referrals to gambling support services and facilitate requests for self-exclusion.

The number of officers required to be on duty will be scaled depending on the number of gaming machine entitlements a venue has.

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Venues will also be required to keep a Gambling Incident Register to record details of occurrences including where a patron displays behaviour that indicates they are at risk of, or experiencing gambling harm, and any requests for self-exclusion.

Further changes will be rolled out from 1 January 2025, when all ATMs must:

• Be located at least five metres from the entry to a gaming room or area where gaming machines are located.
• Not be visible from:
  • The entry to a gaming room, or area or room where gaming machines are located.
  • A gaming machine.

Liquor & Gaming NSW inspectors have already commenced visiting venues across the state to ensure they are aware of the new 1 July obligations, and will be providing further guidance to industry about the changes that apply from 1 January 2025.

Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said: “We know that gaming machines represent the most serious risk of gambling harm, impacting individuals and their loved ones.

“The NSW Government is committed to implementing gambling reform to reduce these harms, including this introduction of Responsible Gambling Officers in pubs and clubs, and changes to the placement and visibility of ATMs in venues.

“Responsible Gambling Officers will work to identify those patrons most at risk, or who are already experiencing gambling harm, check on their wellbeing and help refer them to support services if required.

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“Having cash dispensing facilities further away from gaming machines encourages a clean break in play for patrons who may be losing track of what they are spending.

“We’ll be monitoring compliance in these areas closely to see if we need to look at strengthening harm minimisation laws even further.”

The Regulating the Game conference has announced that Alison Taylor, Clinical Associate Professor at NYU Stern School of Business and Executive Director of Ethical Systems, will be a keynote speaker at its 2025 edition in Sydney. Her expertise in ethical business practices and her perspectives on navigating turbulent times are expected to add “significant” depth to this year’s event, according to organisers.

Alison Taylor is the author of the book Higher Ground: How Business Can Do the Right Thing in a Turbulent World, while her work at NYU Stern School of Business and Ethical Systems has positioned her as a leading voice in ethical business practices. Taylor’s insights on ethics and integrity in business have been “highly sought” after, said organisers, making her a “prominent” figure in both academic and professional circles.

Paul Newson, Principal at Vanguard Overwatch, expressed his enthusiasm about the lineup for the 5th edition of the conference: “With thought leaders like Alison Taylor sharing their unique perspectives, our attendees are guaranteed to gain invaluable insights and be deeply inspired.

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“We have a history of delivering unmatched speaker line-ups and content, spanning critical themes and issues confronting regulators and the sector. It has become a must-attend event for regulatory and industry professionals and essential for operators committed to securing an innovative, thriving, and sustainable industry.”

“Our inaugural call for speakers is receiving strong interest and we encourage sector leaders, regulators, policymakers, manufacturers, compliance and forensic experts, industry professionals, clinicians, researchers, academics, and thought pioneers to apply to speak at the conference in March next year,” a press release noted.

Further, organisers added: “We believe it’s crucial for all stakeholders to engage and participate in the public square, contributing knowledge and insights, and hearing diverse perspectives to best inform public policy thinking and discussions. This engagement helps influence robust regulatory settings that deliver effective industry supervision while facilitating the conditions for a safer, invigorated, and sustainable sector.”

Registration for the conference opens in August.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found that sports streaming service Kayo, provided by Hubbl Pty Limited (Hubbl), breached gambling advertising rules by presenting gambling advertisements during live sports events outside allowed times.

The ACMA investigated Hubbl following complaints from viewers relating to live streams of a number of sporting events on Kayo. Gambling advertisements must not be shown by online content providers during live sport events between 5 am and 8.30 pm, including in the five minutes before and after the event.

The ACMA’s investigations identified 16 different gambling advertisements were provided outside the allowed times across a total of 267 live sport events. Hubbl said that this was caused by a system error that affected viewers using iOS applications in a six week period over February and March 2023.

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ACMA Authority member Carolyn Lidgerwood said the scale of the error as well as Hubbl’s failure to identify a system bug affecting the playout of gambling ads across a large number of live sport events was very concerning.

“Online streaming services as well as broadcasters all have a responsibility to put robust systems in place so that they adhere to these long-standing gambling advertising rules,” Ms Lidgerwood said.

“The rules are there to reduce viewer exposure to gambling ads, particularly for impressionable young audiences and those vulnerable to gambling harms. In this case Hubbl has let those viewers down.”

The ACMA has issued Hubbl with a remedial direction requiring it to arrange an external audit of its technical systems and processes, including the measures that it has implemented subsequent to the breaches.

If Hubbl fails to comply with the terms of the remedial direction it may be ordered by the Federal Court to pay penalties of up to $626,000 per day.

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