Sydney venue licensee prosecuted for ATM infringement

The licensee of a Sydney venue was found guilty of placing an ATM in an “ATM room” attached to its gaming room.

Liquor and Gaming NSW inspectors found the ATM and the magistrate determined that it was in the same part of the hotel as gaming machines were located.

Across the door to this room, the “ATM” also written on the gaming room side.

The licensee of Vbar on Liverpool St in Sydney’s CBD was ordered to pay the prosecutor’s costs of $5,500 by the local court.

The magistrate said in her judgment that the legislative requirement “is intentionally to be read as ‘part [of the hotel]’ and that if the legislation was referring to only the gaming room “it would say that.”

“ATMs must be located in a part of the venue completely separate to gaming rooms or any other part of a venue where gaming machines are located, even if the internal design or fit-out of the room acts to screen the ATM,” said Liquor and Gaming NSW executive director regulatory operations Jane Lin.

“This is important because having such ready access to cash withdrawals can make it easier for gamblers to lose track of what they are spending, while locating ATMs further away from gaming machines can encourage them to have a break in play.”