Ex-permit holder of St George Hotel in Belmore, Rawin Sirikwankul, has admitted to breaching the Gaming Machines Act 2001 on 30 counts before the Downing Centre Local Court. This admission comes subsequent to an inquiry conducted by Liquor & Gaming NSW.
Penalized Hours of Operation
Detailed Findings
The probe highlighted that the hotel oversaw the operation of 30 slot machines on Christmas Day 2022, notably during a period of 12pm and 10pm. This was a clear violation of the authorised timeframe for gaming machine operation.
Regulatory Impact
Serving in the capacity of Executive Director of Regulatory Operations at Liquor & Gaming NSW, Jane Lin underscored the gravity of these violations. She remarked, “Such limitations are integral to mitigate the potentially harmful impacts of gambling, primarily by restricting the duration patrons spend on gaming machines.”
Increased Harm Risks
Lin added that by disregarding the established regulations, the former permit holder raised the danger of gambling-related harm to customers. Moreover, she stated a warning to those licensees that fail to respect the allocated trading hours for slot machines—they will be slapped with hefty infringements.
Prior and Upcoming Cases
Earlier Incidents
This present case is subsequent to a recent episode in which the permit holder of Waratah’s Royal Inn Hotel was penalized AU$7,500 (or, US$5,900) due to comparable contraventions.
Important Reminder
This week, following an earlier report in context of Anzac Day, Liquor & Gaming NSW has recommended fully-licensed locations throughout the state to prepare suitably. Furthermore, it has urged those in charge to put in place appropriate measures to assure secure and responsible memorial observances.
