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Gambling Premises Information by Location

Liquor Licence Information by Location

Legislation and Data

2019-20 Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission Annual Report

2018-19 Australian Gambling Statistics Report

​​ADMINISTRATIVE ALERTS

Li​​quor and gaming fees increase from 1 July 2021

Liquor and gaming fees for the period 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022 have increased in accordance with the Consumer Price Index and were gazetted as required by the Fees Unit Act 1997. The Penalty Fee Unit has also increased for the new financial year. Under the legislation, the dollar value of one penalty unit is now $173 (as at 1 July 2021).

The liquor and gaming fee schedules may be viewed here.

Updated​​ liquor application forms

The Liquor and Gaming Branch has updated a number of our application forms to improve understanding of what is required to complete these applications.

New forms include: Applications for a Liquor Licence, Liquor Licence Transfer, Associate and Interim Authority. These new PDF forms can now be filled out electronically. It is hoped that the forms will assist applicants in providing the required information and speed up processing by reducing the need for follow up.

The updated forms can be found here.

Special Em​ployee's Licence - improved forms and provisional licences

In consultation with industry, the Liquor and Gaming Branch has recently refined and improved the process of applying for a Special Employee's Licence.

The application form now includes:

• the ability to record details of the venue manager; and
• the ability for applicants to consent to their application being discussed with the relevant licensed premises gaming licence holder or venue manager.
  
  These changes mean that, where authorised, the Branch can liaise with an applicant's employer to discuss any issues there may be in progressing the application.
  
  Please note, we won't be able to discuss any personal or probity issues regarding applicants with employers.
  
  These improvements mean that we can work with you to ensure applications can be more efficiently progressed. To assist this process, we encourage applicants to record their employer (or prospective employer) details.
  
  The updated application form is live on our website now.

Provision​​al licences

Typically, the application process for complete applications can be expected to take 3-4 weeks. This includes the time required to undertake external probity checks.

If there is demonstrated need for a licence to be issued before this expected timeframe, applications for provisional licences will be considered on a case by case basis. For such a request to be considered, the Branch will need to receive a complete licence application, including all identity requirements, and documented reasons for the request.

Visit the website for all Special Employee's Licence requirements.

Liquor lic​​ence surrender or transfer

If you are no longer trading you must surrender your liquor licence. You can do this by contacting the Liquor and Gaming Branch via email at: licensing@treasury.tas.gov.au. If you require further information about surrendering your liquor licence, please contact the Branch on 6166 4040.

If you no longer wish to be the licensee you may apply to transfer the liquor licence to another person. Applications for the transfer of a liquor licence can be found here.

Reminder ​​- Confirming council approval

Holding a liquor licence or permit does not allow you to trade if you do not have necessary council approvals. Trading without the necessary planning approvals may also breach the Liquor Licensing Act. Requirements of individual councils vary and we recommend that you make sure you have council approval in place before applying for your liquor licence or permit to make sure its assessment is not delayed.

​​​REGULATORY NEWS

Future Gaming​ Market Consultation

Stage two of public consultation is now open and includes the release of the exposure draft of the Gaming Control Amendment (Future Gaming Market) Bill 2021 (the Bill), along with explanatory papers and fact sheets on the proposed amendments. The focus of this consultation is on whether the Bill implements the future gaming market model. Written submissions must be received by 5pm on Monday 9 August 2021.

For details on how to make a submission and to access the relevant documents, please refer to our website Future Gaming Market | Treasury and Finance Tasmania.

All-inclusive ​​food and beverage promotions (eg bottomless brunches)

These promotions can be popular with the public, however, if licensees are not careful, they can potentially lead to irresponsible promotion or consumption of alcohol.

Licensees and permit holders must advertise and promote liquor in a way that supports responsible service and consumption principles. The Commissioner for Licensing can prohibit or restrict the advertising or promotion if it is likely to encourage irresponsible consumption of liquor, or if in the public interest to do so.

If planning an all-inclusive promotion, licensees should observe the following guidelines:

• Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) principles MUST always apply. Sufficient staff should be on duty to identify early signs of intoxication and confidently enforce the refusal of service (are staff experienced enough to handle the refusal of service should the need arise?);
• the event should not extend for more than two hours;
• table service of drinks should be discouraged (this assists the monitoring of patrons for intoxication and the application of RSA);
  
• the number of drinks being served should be limited (ideally to one per person) - consider identifying patrons involved in the promotion;
• food should be a significant part of the “package";
• limit the number of shots added to cocktails;
• low or non-alcohol beverage options should be available as part of the “package";
• water should be freely available and replenished to tables regularly; and
• the promotion should observe the Commissioner's Advertising and Promotion of Liquor guidelines.

Extreme discounts can be undesirable and may result in issue of a notice to cease the promotion by the Commissioner.

What is ​​an extreme discount?

• Where 50 per cent or more off the full price of a drink is offered.
• Providing free drinks or shots of spirits for minimal cost.
• Happy hours or other promotions involving discounts that extend more than two hours.
• Discount offers, such as:
• promotional cards or vouchers that encourage stockpiling or rapid consumption of drinks over a short period of time; or
  
• bulk purchases that result in a liquor being sold for less than $1 per standard drink (such as 2 for 1 spirits all night).

Recorded ​​surveillance requirements

Liquor and gaming licence holders must comply with the relevant standards for recorded CCTV surveillance in their premises. Licensees must be able to provide playback of footage and/or footage on a media device when requested by the Branch or Tasmania Police. Recorded footage must be retained for the required period of 14 days. The Commission is currently considering the retention timeframe and will consult with licence holders separately.

Gaming venues need to ensure that all gaming equipment is covered by CCTV surveillance and the venue is compliant with the Technical Standards for Recorded Surveillance in Gaming Premises. It is the responsibility of the licensed premises gaming licence holder to ensure that these standards are met in relation to keno and gaming machine operations. Both agents and the totalizator operator are responsible for ensuring these standards are met in relation to totalizator wagering, sports betting or race wagering operations on the premises.

All liquor licence or permit holders that have conditions on their licence or permit requiring recorded CCTV surveillance must ensure their system is compliant with the Commissioner for Licensing Technical Standards for Recorded CCTV Surveillance Systems in Licensed Premises. It is the responsibility of the liquor licence or permit holder to ensure these standards are met at all times.

For further information, please contact the Branch on (03) 6166 4040, gaming@treasury.tas.gov.au or licensing@treasury.tas.gov.au.

Gambling Ex​clusion Scheme - reminders

Report​​ detection of an excluded person in your venue

The Tasmanian Gambling Exclusion Scheme (TGES) is a protection measure for people at risk from their gambling behaviour. It is therefore important that once an individual has been excluded, they continue to be protected. Venue staff must stay up to date on the excluded person register and continuously monitor the venue and patrons to ensure excluded people are not entering and participating in gaming.

If you or your venue staff have detected an excluded person at your venue you must make a report via the TGES database. The report must include details about the person's breach of their exclusion. These details may include estimated time on the premises as well as any gaming activities they may have participated in (if known).

Reasons for ​excluding must be valid and on record

When updating the TGES database with a new or revoked venue exclusion, venues are encouraged to record meaningful reasons. This information is reviewed by the TGES administrator before uploading the venue exclusion and it may assist venues when considering whether to later revoke a venue exclusion. To assist venue staff in identifying warning signs of people experiencing gambling-related harm, please refer to the Signs of Problem Gambling fact sheet available here.

Reasons recorded should ideally include details of the person's behaviour that prompted a venue exclusion. These details may relate to frequency of visits to gamble, duration of gambling, losing more money than intended, reactions to gambling losses or distressed behaviour before, during or after gambling.

Further information regarding the TGES can be found here.

​​Record kee​​ping - Licensed Premises Gaming Licence Holders an​d TAB Operators

Licence holders are required to maintain a register of staff employed in the services of gambling products. The main purpose of the staff register is to assist licence holders in ensuring staff have current licences and Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG) qualifications. It is expected that venue operators and TAB agents check the register regularly to ensure compliance.

There have been a number of instances recently where Liquor and Gaming Compliance Inspectors have found that licence holders have not been maintaining the register or have been unable to produce it. This can, and has, resulted in unlicensed staff performing gaming related duties, with disciplinary action being taken against the licence holder by the Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission.

Records to be kept include:

• name of each staff member;
• commencement date of employment;
• special employee number;
• expiry date of licence; and
• expiry date of RCG qualification (five years after the issue date shown on the qualification).

These records must be produced at the premises if requested by a Compliance Inspector. The register can be kept electronically. A regular check of the staff register will assist in detecting staff whose licence or RCG certification may be close to expiring.

Further information, including a template of a staff register, can be found on the Liquor and Gaming website under “Staff Register" located here.

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​DISCIPLINARY ​​ACTION

Disciplinary action ​​by the Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission November 2020 – May 2021

Disciplinary actio​n by the Commissioner for Licensing November 2020 – May 2021

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Decisions made by th​​e Commissioner for Licensing

The Commissioner for Licensing is responsible for the determination of liquor licence applications in accordance with the Liquor Licensing Act 1990. Details of the Commissioner's most recent decisions are available on the Liquor and Gaming website.​