By Vanessa Cavasinni, editor Australian Hotelier
A Wagga Wagga hotel broker has been convicted for the illegal possession of poker machines.
Following an investigation by Liquor and Gaming New South Wales (L&GNSW), Nicholas Tinning plead guilty to the offences in Wagga Wagga Local Court on 19 April. In addition to his conviction, Tinning was fined $7,500.
Tinning has worked as a hotel broker for his family’s firm, Chris Tinning & Co, for almost 30 years, and managed the Turvey Tavern in Wagga between 2011 and 2013.
L&GNSW inspectors and NSW Police visited Tinning’s home on 11 May 2016, and found five poker machines and several machine parts.
Sean Goodchild, L&GNSW’s director of compliance operations, said the Gaming Machines Act 2001 imposes serious penalties, including fines and imprisonment, for illegal possession or sale of gaming machines.
“Such offences can threaten the integrity of the gaming industry and lead to a lack of public confidence in regulatory controls,” stated Goodchild. “It is against the law to be in possession of a gaming machine in NSW unless properly authorised, with maximum potential penalties of up to $11,000 and or 12 months imprisonment.”