By Andy Young
Samuel Reichel, the licensee of the Agincourt Hotel in Sydney’s CBD, has been fined a total of $33,000 for operating gaming machines during the venue’s shutdown period between 4am and 10am.
Earlier this week Reichel pleaded guilty to the offences, following an investigation by Liquor & Gaming NSW, which found the venue’s gaming machines were being played during the six-hour shutdown period on 30 occasions in November and December 2015.
Reichel was fined $1,100 for each of the 30 gaming machine breaches. He was also convicted of one count of failing to keep proper gaming machine records, with no fine imposed.
Liquor & Gaming NSW’s Director of Compliance Operations, Sean Goodchild, said all hotels and clubs in NSW are required to ensure gaming machines are not played during shutdown periods.
“The shutdown requirement is a key safeguard to minimise harm associated with problem gambling by limiting access to gaming machines and ensuring a break in play,” Mr Goodchild said.
“As this case shows, venue operators who allow gaming machines to be operated outside their designated shutdown period can face significant penalties.”