From 1 April 2026, all NSW gaming machine venues must observe a mandatory six-hour shutdown between 4am and 10am, following the revocation of 649 ILGA-delegated exemptions and 10 ILGA-direct exemptions that had previously permitted shorter shutdowns at approximately 20% of NSW gaming venues. A practical reading of the change and the affected hours.
From 1 April 2026, every gaming machine venue in NSW operates under the same shutdown rule: a mandatory six-hour cessation period each day, commencing no later than 4am and ending at 10am. The change follows the revocation of 649 exemptions by Liquor & Gaming NSW under delegation from the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority, plus 10 further revocations by the Authority itself. A small number of applications (13) remained under assessment at the time of the announcement.
What was revoked
The exemptions had previously permitted a varied shutdown period, typically three hours rather than the standard six. Across NSW, the exempted venues represented approximately 20% of the licensed venues with gaming machines. The revocation was effected under updated Ministerial Guidelines issued by the Gaming and Racing Minister, with a 2024 review concluding that a minimum six-hour shutdown commencing no later than 4am is effective at minimising gambling harm. The Government's published view is that the exemptions were no longer fit for purpose.
What the new rule requires
- Mandatory shutdown of gaming machines for six hours each day.
- Shutdown must commence no later than 4am.
- Shutdown extends to 10am.
- Applies to all NSW gaming machine venues from 1 April 2026.
The retention application window
Affected venues had until 31 March 2026 to submit a case for retention of the exemption. Sixty-two applications were received, and of the 49 that had been assessed at the time of announcement, all had been revoked. The retention pathway is therefore now effectively closed for the affected venue cohort, save for the small remaining number under assessment.
Practical items for affected venues to review
- Internal procedures and SOPs covering shutdown commencement, machine power-down, and re-opening: these need to align with the new 4am / 10am window rather than the previous exempted hours.
- Patron-facing signage and venue collateral that referenced the previous shutdown hours.
- Rostering and supervisor coverage at the new shutdown commencement and re-opening times.
- Liquor trading hours during the gaming shutdown: venues that previously coordinated trading-hour transitions around the shorter shutdown will need to re-cut the run-sheet.
- Any leasing, franchise or management agreements that specify or assume specific gaming operating hours.
Compliance and enforcement
Compliance campaigns by Liquor & Gaming NSW commenced after 1 April 2026. The exemption framework that previously sat alongside the standard shutdown rule no longer operates for the cohort whose exemptions have been revoked, so the standard six-hour rule is the operative position for those venues.
For most venues that operated under the standard shutdown rule already, the change is invisible. For the cohort of venues that were operating under the now-revoked exemptions, the change is substantial. The practical implementation is now retrospective. The cleaner question for affected operators isn't whether to comply, but how cleanly the venue's operating model adapts to the new shutdown profile.
On a matter related to this?
The general information in this briefing isn't a substitute for advice tailored to your circumstances. If you're working on a liquor & gaming matter and want a partner's view, get in touch.