Liquor & Gaming NSW

Federally, gambling is legal in Australia. The only exception is online casinos. However, online sports betting and horse racing are legal. Differences in gambling regulation are evident at the state level. Each state has its own gambling commission, which has the right to control the sphere of gambling. But still the regulators act in accordance with the federal law.

In the state of New South Wales regulation is carried out by the Liquor & Gaming NSW. This organization issues licenses, monitors companies and collects tax.

Regulator licensed casinos

Although Australia has banned online casinos, it has legalized sports betting and horse racing. Unlike some other states, the online bookmaker industry in New South Wales is quite rich. The following companies have licenses for online sports betting:

• 123bet (under the license of Winners Bookmaking Pty Ltd);
• Allbets;
• BaggyBet;
• Betchamps;
• BetFocus;
• Betplay (under the license of Winners Bookmaking Pty Ltd);
• Blondebet.com.au;
• Boostbet;
• Bossbet;
• EliteBet;
• Goldbet;
• HOT Bet (under the license of Deguara Cross Bookmaking Pty Ltd);
• LightningBet (under the license of Grant Lynch);
• Mgmbet (under the license of Winners Bookmaking Pty Ltd);
• Midasbet (under the license of Betting Services Australia Pty Ltd);
• PalmerBet;
• Puntondogs;
• Puntzone (under the license of Betting Services Australia Pty Ltd);
• Razoo.Bet (under the license of Zoo Entertainment Pty Ltd);
• TAB Limited;
• Topbet;
• TopSport;
• Ultrabet;
• UPCOZ;
• Winners (under the license of Winners Bookmaking Pty Ltd);
• Zbet (under the license of Zoo Entertainment Pty Ltd).

A fairly broad list of licensed online bookmakers indicates the sophistication of online betting in New South Wales.

Liquor & Gaming NSW review

Liquor & Gaming NSW is responsible for regulating the alcohol and gambling sector in New South Wales. The organization was established on February 1, 2016, following the merger of two directorates: "Liquor, Gaming and Racing Authority" and "Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority Board".

The Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority Board has been retained as an independent organization to provide a higher level of regulation for the gambling industry. Because of the organization's extensive experience, it was given oversight and licensing responsibilities.

The work of the Board is based on two main principles:

1. creating a safe and responsible gambling industry;
2. transparent regulation of the industry and the provision of complete information.

In addition, the organization provides advisory support to government organizations and gives advice in the field.

The main objectives of Liquor & Gaming NSW are:

• administering the regulatory framework;
• providing advice to government;
• supervising industry activities;
• making licensing decisions;
• enforcing legislation;
• researching gambling;
• ensuring revenue and monitoring the integrity of casino operations;
• developing initiatives;
• monitoring the effectiveness of implemented projects;
• monitoring the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority Board.

There are thus effectively two organizations responsible for regulating the gambling industry in New South Wales:

1. Liquor & Gaming NSW;
2. Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority Board.

But given that the latter organization is part of Liquor & Gaming NSW, it is Liquor & Gaming NSW that is the primary regulator. Casinoz notes that the NSW Liquor & Gaming Authority not only has a supervisory function, but can also make its own licensing decisions.

Regulation of the gambling industry regarding sports betting and various types of land-based horse racing has some peculiarities. Licensing of companies that want to work in this area in New South Wales is carried out by the NSW organization. It is worth noting that the organization TAB Limited is licensed under the Totalisator Act 1997 for betting and fixed odds.

It is the exclusive provider of retail betting services within the state. So, in effect, its license is valid "in perpetuity."

On the regulation side of online gambling, only bookmakers are allowed.

This situation arose from the federal Interactive Gambling Act of 2001. It explicitly bans online casinos in Australia.

The state operates the ClubGRANTS system. It was established in 1998 to ensure that registered clubs in New South Wales with profits in excess of $1 million provide financial or in-kind support to local community services, programs and projects. All gaming halls are required to join this program when licensed.

The regulator is trying to be fairly transparent, for example, anyone can request a pokie machine report. It will contain quite detailed information regarding the amount of bets made, where the machine is located, etc. The cost of such a report ranges from 100 to 150 dollars. But some reports are freely available.

The department is giving due attention to the issue of gambling harms.

In particular, the regulator provides assistance to people with gambling problems. On the regulator's website, there is an option to apply for self-exclusion. There is also a helpline and links to many profiled sites on the subject. And much of the assistance program is funded by gambling clubs. 

The regulator is also involved in dealing with player complaints against any licensed company. 

Gallery

License types of Liquor & Gaming NSW

The Liquor & Gaming NSW issues the following types of licenses:

• Gaming machine technician's license - allows you to service and repair licensed gaming machines. Can only be obtained by an individual. The application fee is $260. The annual fee is $200, plus an inflation index. Additionally, a "Technician Identification Card" will be required, which costs $50.
• Gaming machine seller's license - allows the sale of certified pokie machines. Can be obtained by an individual or a company. The fee for the application is $508. The annual fee is $500, plus an inflation index.
• Gaming machine dealer's license - permits the manufacture, installation, and maintenance of pokie machines. This type of license is only issued to companies. The application fee is $1,165. The annual fee for the license holder will be $10,000, plus an inflation index.
• Gaming machine testing facility license - allows for testing of pokie machines to determine if they meet technical standards. It is only issued to companies. The application fee is $1,017. The annual license renewal fee is $1,000, plus an inflation index.
• Hotel Gaming Licenses - a license to allow the installation of pokie machines in a hotel.
• Club Gaming Licenses - the license allows for the opening of pokie machine halls.
• Casino Licence- a license to open a land-based casino.
• Wagering - a license that allows you to accept bets on various sports, including horse racing and dog racing. This type of license can be issued for offline or online betting. If an online bookmaker is licensed, additional approval from regulatory authorities may be required. For example, if it is planned to take bets on soccer, it is necessary to apply for permission from the Australian Football League.
• Lotteries - a license to conduct public lotteries in the format of Lotto, OzLotto, Powerball, Lucky Lottery and Keno.
  

All hotels that operate pokie machines are required to pay a pokie tax. The amount of tax depends on the revenue. The calculation is based on data from a centralized monitoring system (all pokies in the state are connected to it). For example, if the income was less than $50,000, the owner is exempt from paying taxes. If the amount of income is between $50,000 and $250,000, the tax is 33%. The maximum tax applicable to this gambling activity is 50% (income over $1.25 million).

The tax on specialized pokie machine halls uses a similar scheme. But owners pay no tax if income was less than $250,000. And the maximum rate of 26.55% applies only if the income is more than $5 million.

There is also a rather interesting nuance: at the end of the year, the total profit received is compared, and if the annual profit from a pokie machine is less than the estimated profit, the amount of tax is reduced.

Dispute resolution

The regulator's official website offers the opportunity to complain about any licensed gambling provider. Provided the licensing was carried out by the Liquor & Gaming NSW.

To make a complaint, you will need to fill out a specialized form. It will require the nature of the dispute, the company and personal details. Depending on the situation, the complaint will be dealt with according to the procedure. This may take a long time.

It should be noted that only land-based operators can be complained about on the Authority's website. If a player has a dispute with an online operator (bookmaker), they should contact Racing NSW, Greyhound Racing NSW, Harness Racing NSW. On the website of these companies there is an appeal form. They are the ones competent to deal with such disputes.

Conclusion

Liquor & Gaming NSW regulates the gambling environment quite extensively. Players' rights are protected, meaning there is a dispute resolution procedure in place. The social aspect is similarly respected. Although the presence of two organizations (Liquor & Gaming NSW and Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority Board) can be confusing. The Casinoz team believes that the regulator is operating according to modern standards.

Compared to other states in Australia, New South Wales has a fairly developed gambling industry. This is evidenced by a broad list of companies operating in the market, a sophisticated taxation system, accessibility of information for stakeholders, harm reduction program and other integral aspects of modern gambling regulation.