The Gambling Amendment Bill (No2) is about to become law. It was passed by Parliament last night and takes effect the day after the Governor General signs it, probably next week.
Important clarifications have been included specifying the responsibilities gambling operators have to the community after they are licensed.
Read the Bill, as passed by Parliament.
Key changes include:
-
A stronger differentiation between Class 4 gambling societies that apply funds to their own purposes and those that distribute
-
A new duty for grant recipients to use grants for the specific purpose for which they were granted, together with an offence provision for non-compliance
-
A new duty for Casinos and Class 4 venue staff to assist problem gamblers where ongoing issues exist
-
Clarification that the Secretary for Internal Affairs can suspend or cancel a gambling licence for past, one-off breaches of the Act
-
Confirmation that gambling assets are to be depreciated in accordance with generally accepted accounting practice
-
Clarification that the retail value of non-cash gambling prizes must be specified
-
Further grounds introduced for determining the suitability of an applicant for a gambling operator’s licence to provide further assurance that Class 4 gambling is conducted with integrity.
It is important that societies and venue operators familiarise themselves with the amended Act as some of the changes will directly affect operational processes.
We will help operators get to grips with the new requirements so get in touch with us if you need assistance. The next issue of Gambits will include more in-depth pieces on the Bill’s banking (Class 4) and harm prevention provisions.
