New Ministerial Direction regarding Responsible Gambling Codes of Conduct

The Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, The Hon. Marlene Kairouz, has issued a new Ministerial Direction (direction) outlining changes to the content that must be included in Responsible Gambling Codes of Conduct (code) implemented by  venue operators, which comes into effect on 1 March 2020, see, Ministerial Direction - Responsible Gambling Codes of Conduct for Venue Operators (PDF, 376.2 KB)

Venue operators have until 1 September 2020 to ensure their code complies with the new direction. Between 1 March and 1 September 2020, venue operators can continue to comply with their existing code in accordance with the previous Ministerial Direction issued on 10 September 2018.

Under the new direction, a venue’s code will have to contain recognition that a venue operator will take steps to prevent and minimise harm from gaming machines in their venue and requirements for operators to: 

• interact with a person who is playing gaming machines without a break
• not reinforce or encourage fallacies or misconceptions about gaming machines
• regularly monitor the gaming machine area and its entrances 
• monitor customer behaviour that seems consistent with gambling harm
• nominate Responsible Gambling Officers and maintain a Responsible Gambling Register that records details of interventions and gambling incidents.

It is a condition of every venue operator’s licence for a venue operator to implement a Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct that is compliant with a direction made under the Gambling Regulation Act 2003. 

For a list of the current codes and further information, see, Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct