New South Wales gaming venue licensee fined over ATM with credit access

The licensee was prosecuted by Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW).

Australia.- The licensee of an Artarmon hotel that operates gaming machines, has been convicted, fined and ordered to pay legal costs totalling AU$32,000 (US$22,764) for hosting an ATM with credit access. The licensee of the Freeway Hotel was prosecuted by Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) and found guilty of breaching section 47C of the Gaming Machines Act 2001.

L&GNSW investigated the hotel in 2023 and found that since 2016 more than AU$1.4m (nearly US$1m) has been withdrawn from credit card accounts via an ATM on the premises. 

Dimitri Argeres, Liquor & Gaming NSW executive director of regulatory operations, said hotels or clubs with gaming machines are not allowed to have ATMs with credit access in any part of the premises.   “Venues having ATMs that permit the withdrawal of cash from a credit card account can allow patrons to gamble beyond their means and potentially create an environment of gambling harm,” he said.  

“Liquor & Gaming takes a zero-tolerance approach to these types of breaches, and venues caught doing the wrong thing can expect to be prosecuted and face significant penalties,” he added.  

This is the third penalty imposed on gaming venues for allowing ATM credit card access in the past year. Action was previously taken against The Olympic Hotel at Paddington and the Wentworth Hotel at Homebush West.

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See also: VGCCC fines Warrnambool pub $150,000 for multiple gambling breaches

The licensee was prosecuted by Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW). Australia.- The licensee of an Artarmon hotel that operates gaming machines, has been convicted, fined and ordered to pay legal costs totalling AU$32,000 (US$22,764) for hosting an ATM with credit access. The licensee of the Freeway Hotel was prosecuted by Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW)…