Gaming Machines Act 2001

A hotelier or club must award or pay a prize that is won from the playing of an approved gaming machine kept in the hotel or on the premises of the club to a player who is entitled to the prize (the prizewinner) on request by the prizewinner and in accordance with subsections (2)–(7).

A prize may be awarded in a non-monetary form or paid as money.

If a prize is awarded in a non-monetary form, the hotelier or club must give the prizewinner the choice to be paid money instead.

If a hotelier or club pays a monetary prize to a prizewinner, the hotelier or club must pay an amount equal to (but not exceeding) the value of the credits accumulated by the prizewinner from playing the relevant approved gaming machine.

A non-monetary prize must not consist of or include—

liquor in any form, or

tobacco in any form, or

knives or knife blades, or

firearms or ammunition within the meaning of the Firearms Act 1996.

The hotelier or club, or an employee of the hotelier or club, need not award or pay a prize immediately after a prizewinner requests it, but—

in the case of a monetary prize—must pay the prize within 48 hours of the request (except where the prize is a jackpot prize under a linked gaming system operated under Part 10, in which case the prize is to be paid in accordance with the rules under the links licence concerned), and

in the case of a non-monetary prize—must award the prize—

within the time stated in the information required to be provided by the regulations with respect to award of such prizes, or

if no such time is stated—within 48 hours of the request.

If a prize is not awarded or paid immediately after the prizewinner has requested it, the hotelier or club, or an employee of the hotelier or club, must give the prizewinner a written acknowledgment of the prizewinner’s entitlement to the prize.