Gaming Offences Act 1936

make or negotiate a bet whether by spoken word, writing, signal, gesture or any other direct or indirect means and whether with or for money or any valuable thing or by cash or under any credit arrangement; or

receive, pay or give money or any valuable thing in connection with a bet; or

settle a bet, and betting has a corresponding meaning;

every public place; and

every place to which the public are permitted to have access tacitly or otherwise and whether on payment of money or not; and

any premises in respect of which a licence granted under the

any shop, and any part of a building occupied in connection with, or for the purposes of, a shop; and

any factory, and the appurtenances of any factory;

any building or place occupied by any club (whether a racing club or not), and the appurtenances of that building or place; and

any place commonly used by the public whether as trespassers or otherwise;

the playing at or engaging in any game with cards or other instruments, or with money, in or as the result of which game any person or persons derives or is intended to derive (other than in his or her capacity as a player) any part or percentage of any money or thing played for, staked, or wagered; and

the playing at or engaging in a game of poker in a public place (provided that the regulations may prescribe circumstances in which playing at or engaging in a game will or will not constitute unlawful gaming for the purposes of this paragraph); and

any contravention of or failure to observe any provision of this

This Act binds the Crown.

Nothing in this Act renders the Crown in any of its capacities liable to be prosecuted for an offence.

For the purposes of this section, a reference to the Crown extends—

not only to the Crown in right of this State but also (so far as the legislative power of the State permits) to the Crown in any other capacity;

to an instrumentality of the Crown, and to an officer or employee of the Crown and any contractor or other person who carries out functions on behalf of the Crown.

in playing at, or with, cards, dice, tables or other games;

in bearing a part in the stakes, wages or adventures, or in betting on the sides or hands of them that do play; or

in betting on the event of any game, sport, pastime, or exercise.

All contracts or agreements whether by parol or in writing by way of gaming or wagering are void.

No action may be brought or maintained in any court to recover any sum of money or valuable thing—

alleged to be won on any bet; or

which has been deposited in the hands of any person to abide the event on which any bet has been made, but this section does not apply to any subscription or contribution or agreement to subscribe or contribute for or to any plate, prize, or sum of money to be awarded to the winner of any race or lawful game.

A contract or agreement for the payment of a debt incurred for the purpose of gaming or wagering (being a debt that is to the knowledge of the creditor incurred for that purpose) will be deemed to have been made for an illegal consideration.

A mortgage, charge, pledge or other security to secure the payment of a debt under a contract or agreement that is deemed to have been made for an illegal consideration by virtue of this section will be deemed to have been given for an illegal consideration.

Any money paid in or towards satisfaction of a supposed liability under a contract or agreement that is deemed to have been made for an illegal consideration by virtue of this section and any property taken under, or by way of, a security that is deemed to have been given for an illegal consideration by virtue of this section may be recovered by action in a court of competent jurisdiction.

plays at any game or pretended game of chance; or

bets by way of wagering or gaming on any game or pretended game of chance, is guilty of an offence.

exhibit any implements or articles for unlawful gaming, in order to induce or entice any person to engage in any unlawful gaming; or

by any fraudulent act or device, cheat any person.