Sydney Hotels Fined $154,000 For Breaking Gaming Rules & Operating Pokies In Banned Morning Hours

Two hotels in Sydney have been fined for operating pokies during banned time windows, and allowing customers to withdraw cash from their credit cards. The hotels were fined a total of $154,000.

The NSW Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) found the Concourse Hotel in Wynyard repeatedly operating pokie machines during the daily shutdown from 4am to 10am, resulting in the venue receiving a larger share of penalties due to the seriousness of the offence. 

Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) Inspectors found 29 machines powered up at 8:40am when they visited in November 2023, despite the statewide pokie machine shutdown. The violations occurred over multiple dates from March to November 2023, resulting in a $110,000 fine.

ILGA chairperson Caroline Lamb has expressed concern that the Concourse Hotel had put its own patrons in harm’s way when it comes to gambling and gambling addiction. 

“As this case shows, venues that fail to abide by gaming machine trading hours can expect to be caught and face significant penalties. The licensee is ultimately responsible for what goes on at their venue,” said Lamb.

As of June 2024, NSW has 87,749 machines operating in clubs and hotels.

In the past, the state government has invested $100 million in the Gambling Harm Minimisation Fund and developed measures, including the addition of Responsible Gambling Officers and a Gaming Plan of Management for venues. Meanwhile, unions advocate for gambling reform to reduce the number of gaming machines in NSW.  

‘An important measure to stop people from gambling with money they don’t have’

At Paddington’s Olympic Hotel, L&GNSW-led investigations discovered three gaming machines disconnected from the Centralised Monitoring System (CMS) and an ATM that allowed the establishment’s customers to withdraw cash from their credit accounts. A further look by enforcement revealed that over $16,000 had been withdrawn from credit card accounts using an ATM since 2021. As a consequence, the hotel was fined $44,000.

“Credit card restrictions are an important measure to stop people from gambling with money they don’t have,” said Dimitri Argeres, L&GNSW Executive Director of Regulatory Operations.

Additionally, the Gaming Machines Act 2001 states that hotels and clubs with pokie machines are not permitted to have ATMs that allow cash to be taken from credit cards anywhere on the property.