NSW pubs will be banned from displaying ‘VIP Room’ signs from September 1
NSW pubs will not be allowed to display ‘VIP Room’ signs from 1 September
- Signs advertising gambling are banned in NSW
- Pubs and clubs use loophole phrases and images
- Words like ‘VIP Room’ will be banned from September
All pubs and clubs in New South Wales will be fined if they do not clear their venues of gambling signs by September 1.
The crackdown on gambling boards was an election pledge by NSW Labor following the use of a ‘loophole’ in the state.
Under the new law, the words “VIP Room,” “VIP Lounge,” “Golden Room,” “Golden Lounge,” “Player’s Room,” and “Players Lounge” may not be displayed outside of venues.
Images of dragons, coins and lightning motifs are also prohibited.
‘Loophole’ phrases advertising gambling outside pubs and clubs in NSW will be banned from September 1 (pictured, a pub with the soon-to-be-banned term ‘VIP Lounge’
NSW gamblers lost $4.6 billion last year on the slots (pictured, gambler playing the slots)
Venues caught using the banned names and images as of Sept. 1 will be fined $11,000 per violation.
Pubs and clubs unable to remove signage for reasons beyond their control will be given an additional three months to comply before a zero tolerance policy is enforced.
Data from Liquor and Gaming showed NSW gamblers lost $4.6 billion on slots last year, $642 million more than the previous pre-Covid record set in 2018.
Gambling and Racing Minister David Harris said in May that the removal of the signage is an important part of measures to minimize gambling.
“The facades of pubs and clubs across the state are dotted with signs such as ‘VIP Lounge’ to warn passersby or passers-by that they have slot machines,” he said.
“Some of these signs are extremely prominent and can be seen by children and community members who are at risk of gambling harm.”
While laws prohibiting gambling-related signage already exist, venue operators have circumvented them by advertising “VIP Lounges.”
“We are closing this loophole for the health and well-being of our communities.”
Under the new law, the words “VIP Room,” “VIP Lounge” (above), “Golden Room,” “Golden Lounge,” “Player’s Room,” and “Players Lounge” may not be displayed outside of venues
As part of NSW Labor’s gambling reforms, it will also conduct a trial of 500 ‘cashless’ slot machines.
The machines will use a cashless playing card in an effort to reduce criminal money laundering networks that use gambling dens to ‘clean up’ cash.
The trial was supposed to start earlier on July 1, but was delayed.