Approval of premises for gaming
To conduct gaming, you need to have an approved premises attached to a venue operator's licence. Once approved by us, the premises then becomes an "approved venue" as per definitions in the Gambling Regulation Act 2003, and the venue operator licensee becomes responsible for all gaming activity at the venue.
To make an application for approval of a new premises, refer to the Application for approval of premises for gaming form. For a copy of this form please email [email protected].
Who can apply
Anyone can apply, as long as they have the agreement of the freehold owner.
How to apply
Download the Approval of premises for gaming application form. For a copy of this form please email [email protected].
Please contact us to let us know you’ve submitted an application.
What to attach with your application
You will need to attach required plans, evidence of planning, social and economic impact assessment report (if unable to be provided on the application form) and any other documents you may wish to submit in support of your application.
Required plans
You will need to provide the following plans:
- 1:100 scale site plan of the premises
This must show the location of the proposed gaming machine area within the premises. It must also show the location of all other services or facilities that will be provided, including but not limited to:- bistro
- bars
- sports bar
- toilets
- function area/s
- outdoor smoking areas
- car park/s.
- 1:50 scale plan of the proposed gaming machine area
This must show the proposed placement of gaming machines. It must also show all services or facilities to be provided in or adjacent to the gaming machine area, including but not limited to:- cashier area
- bar facilities
- toilets
- entrances
- catering facilities
- outdoor smoking areas.
Documents
Attach the following documents:
- a copy of a planning permit, issued by your local government authority (LGA), permitting the premises to be used for gaming-on-gaming machines, or
- a copy of an application to your LGA for a permit that, if granted, would permit the premises to be used for gaming-on-gaming machines, or
- other evidence that use of the premises for gaming-on-gaming machines would not contravene the relevant planning scheme of your LGA.
You will also need to provide evidence that your application has been submitted to us within three days of being lodged with your LGA.
More information about premises approval
For more information about the requirements for approval, see Part 3 of Chapter 3 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003.
Gaming machine entitlements
A venue operator must hold gaming machine entitlements to conduct gaming in an approved venue. Each entitlement authorises venue operators to operate one gaming machine (also known as poker machine).
If you don’t have gaming machine entitlements:
- you can’t install or operate gaming machines in an approved venue
- you can, however, still apply for approval of a premises.
What happens after you apply
After you apply for a premises approval, we may conduct a site inspection as part of our determination of your application.
Our Commission will consider your application at a hearing, which may be held in public or private, depending on whether confidentiality considerations apply. The outcome of our decision will be communicated to you in writing. If your application is not approved, there are avenues for you to appeal our decision.
Site inspection
Site inspections are carried out to assess the suitability of a premises for the management and operation of gaming machines, in particular, whether the size, layout and facilities of the premises as a whole as well as the proposed gaming machine area will be suitable.
In the case of green field sites, we may carry out a site inspection to assess the suitability of the proposed layout at that location.
Our decision
We will notify you of our decision in writing.
If your application is successful, you will need to engage further with us during the:
- construction phase, if building a new premise, or
- redevelopment phase, if amending an existing premise
to ensure that the completed premise will still be suitable for the management and operation of poker machines. To determine this, we will conduct a final inspection and issue you with your:
- Notice of Approved Venue, which must be displayed must be publicly displayed at the entrance to (or the boundary of) the gaming machine area or opposite the cashier’s station
- approved gaming machine area plan, and
- approved premises (site) plan.
Appeal a decision
You or any other aggrieved party may appeal our decision to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
How we assess applications
When assessing a premise’s suitability for gaming, we consider:
- the compliance history of the applicant
- the size, layout and facilities of the proposed premise, and
- whether the proposed gaming machine area (GMA) will be suitable for the management and operation of gaming machines.
We also consider the potential economic and social impact of the approval on the local community.
Where the premises has a children’s play area, we also apply the Decision-making guidelines - children's play areas(opens in a new window).
If the premises includes residential accommodation, we will also apply the Decision-making guidelines – Approval of premises suitable for gaming.
We only approve an application if it meets the requirements of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003. Most importantly, we can't approve an application if the proposal would have a negative impact on the community.
Pending applications
We publish a list of all pending applications and the applicant's documents. Visit our Online Gambling Services Portal for more information.
We usually hold a hearing before deciding whether to approve the application.
Have your say
Anyone can provide feedback about an application for premises approval or to increase the number of gaming machines at an approved premises. You can provide feedback via your local council.
Feedback from a local council
With applications for premises approval or to increase the number of gaming machines at an approved premises, the venue's local council can give us feedback.
To submit feedback, use the economic and social impact submission form:
For more information, contact us(opens in a new window).
Attend a hearing
To submit feedback about the impact of a proposal on the community, you can attend a hearing. Please visit our Online Gambling Services Portal(opens in a new window) for more information.
We can only assess the impact of the specific proposal, not the impact of gambling in general.
Previous decisions
We publish the outcome of every application, including a document outlining the reasons for the decision. Please visit our Hearings page for more information.
Include an approved premises on a Venue operator's licence
If your application for premises approval is successful, prior to the commencement of gaming you must apply to us to include the approved premises on your venue operator's licence.
We will conduct a final inspection before you can commence gaming operations.
How to apply to include an approved premise on your venue operator's licence
Complete the application form to include an approved gaming premises on your venue operator's licence.
Note, before applying you must either:
- hold a venue operator's licence
- apply for a venue operator's licence.
Application requirements include provision of:
- business name certificate from the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC)
- purchase freehold agreement
- lease agreement
- purchase business agreement
- documentation of source of funds
- payment receipts for any deposits
- copies of any loan agreements
- copies of any contracts for sale of assets
- associated entity and associated individual application forms
- nominee for venue operator's licence form
- agreement/contract to manage the gaming machine operations, if applicable.
Refer to the Include approved gaming premises form to apply, noting that you will also need to pay the application fee. For a copy of this form please email [email protected].
Remove approved gaming premises
To apply to remove an approved premises you must hold a venue operator’s licence, the approved premises must be included on your venue operator’s licence, and you must be the current liquor licensee of the premises.
Refer to Remove approved gaming premises. For a copy of this form please email [email protected].
There is currently no fee for this application type.
Circumstances which may require a licensee to lodge this form include:
- the sale of an approved premises to another party
- a change in the liquor licence status.
Under the Gambling Regulation Act 2003, you must advise us in writing of any changes to the control of an approved premises. Failure to inform us may result in a fine of up to 60 penalty units and/or disciplinary action.
Increase the number of poker machines at an approved premises
You may apply to us to amend your venue operator’s licence to vary the number of poker machines permitted to be operated at an approved premises.
What to attach with your application
You will need to attach required plans, evidence of planning, social and economic impact assessment report (if unable to be provided on the application form) and any other documents you may wish to submit in support of your application.
Required plans
You will need to provide the following plans:
- 1:100 scale site plan of the premises
This must show the location of the proposed GMA within the premises. It must also show the location of all other services or facilities that will be provided, including but not limited to:- bistro
- bars
- sports bar
- toilets
- function area/s
- outdoor smoking areas
- car park/s.
- 1:50 scale plan of the proposed gaming machine area
This must show the proposed placement of poker machines. It must also show all services or facilities to be provided in or adjacent to the GMA, including but not limited to:- cashier area
- bar facilities
- toilets
- entrances
- catering facilities
- outdoor smoking areas.
Documents
Attach the following documents:
- a copy of a planning permit, issued by your local government authority (LGA), permitting the premises to be used for gaming-on-gaming machines, or
- a copy of an application to your LGA for a permit that, if granted, would permit the premises to be used for gaming-on-gaming machines, or
- other evidence that use of the premises for gaming-on-gaming machines would not contravene the relevant planning scheme of your LGA.
You will also need to provide evidence that your application has been submitted to us within three days of being lodged with your LGA.
Complete the application form to add gaming machines. For a copy of this form please email [email protected].
Remove the number of poker machines at an approved premises
You may apply to us to decrease the number of poker machines permitted at an approved premises.
Note, you should only make this application if the excess machines have already been removed from the premises that we have approved via an application to modify the GMA of an approved venue.
Complete the application form to decrease gaming machines. For a copy of this form please email [email protected]
There are no fees for this application type.
Modify a gaming machine area in an approved venue
A venue operator must not modify a GMA in an approved venue without our prior approval, unless we have identified the changes as "low risk". For a list of "low risk" modifications that do not need prior approval, see modification to poker machine areas.
If you are unsure if your modification is low risk, you should contact us.
The following are NOT considered low risk modifications:
- any increase or decrease in the number of installed poker machines
- any change to the size or location of the GMA
- any change to the GMA perimeter.
You will need:
- a 1:50 scale plan of the GMA
- a 1:100 site plan (if ‘variation to GMA’ is ticked)
- planning permit, endorsed plan or details of staged works (where appropriate).
When deciding whether to approve applications to modify a GMA, we will consider the size, layout and facilities of the approved venue in addition to any other matter that we consider relevant.
We may approve or refuse your application, and an approval may come with or without conditions.
For more information, see section 3.3.16 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003.
We will only accept applications to modify a GMA via the Online Gambling Services Portal.
See information about how to modify a poker machine area(opens in a new window).
Assessing applications
We only approve an application if it meets the requirements of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003. Most importantly, we can't approve an application if the proposal would have a negative impact on the community.
For more information, refer to the Hearings page.
Pending applications
We publish a list of all pending applications and the applicant's documents. Please visit our Hearings page for more information.
We usually hold a hearing before deciding whether to approve the application.
Have your say
Anyone can provide feedback about a proposal to add gaming machines. You can provide feedback via your local council.
Feedback from a local council
With proposals to add gaming machines, the venue's local council can give us feedback.
To submit feedback, use the economic and social impact submission form. For a copy of this form please email [email protected].
For more information, contact us(opens in a new window).
Attend a hearing
To submit feedback about the impact of a proposal on the community, you can attend a hearing. Please visit our Hearings page for more information.
We can only assess the impact of the specific proposal, not the impact of gambling in general.
Previous decisions
We publish the outcome of every application, including a document outlining the reasons for the decision. Please visit our Decisions page for more information.
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