Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) has increased enforcement of mandatory gaming machine shutdown requirements as part of the state's gambling harm reduction measures.
Gaming machines at registered clubs and hotels must generally be switched off between 4am and 10am each day, providing a six-hour break in play.
In April, the NSW Government removed exemptions that had allowed more than 650 pubs and clubs to operate machines during parts of the standard shutdown period. Many of the exemptions had been in place for more than 20 years.
Since then, L&GNSW has reviewed 51 venues across Sydney, the Hunter and the North Coast. Another 70 venues remain under assessment, with further inspections planned.
The Crown Hotel in Camden and East Cessnock Bowling Club have received fines for breaches identified through the operation. Another venue received an official caution, while one has been referred for formal disciplinary action.
Regulators are using real-time data analysis alongside venue inspections and examinations of records to identify potential non-compliance.
However, enforcement has not resulted in penalties in every case. L&GNSW provided education and compliance support to 32 venues where issues were considered minor, isolated or linked to exceptional circumstances outside their control.
Some venues can still apply to the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority for variations to the standard shutdown period, including three-hour shutdowns under specified circumstances.
The NSW Government announced in August that it would review the mandatory shutdown period as part of its wider gaming reforms.
The review will consider evidence that higher-risk gamblers are more likely to play during early morning hours, alongside feedback from industry stakeholders and the potential operational impact of any changes.
More than 650 venues lost longstanding exemptions from the standard shutdown period in April
