Venue Operator's Licence / 1.0 Venue Operator's Licence

1.0 Venue Operator's Licence

Under section 3.4.8 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 (the Act), only a person who is a body corporate may apply for a venue operator’s licence. An applicant for a venue operator’s licence is commonly an entity incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 or under the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012. A venue operator’s licence may be either a club venue operator’s licence or a hotel venue operator’s licence.
An application for a club venue operator’s licence may only be made by a club that is established for a community purpose and has a constituting document that contains provisions prohibiting the:
distribution of any annual profit or surplus to its members and distribution of any surplus to its members on winding up.

An applicant for a club venue operator’s licence must provide its constituting document containing the required provisions and a copy of its club liquor licence or racing club licence (if it holds one of these licences).

Both club and hotel venue operator licence applicants will need to refer to the application form for the details required to complete an application.

Renewing a Venue Operator’s licence

Three months before a venue operator’s licence is due to expire, the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) will send a letter to the venue operator, advising that the licence needs to be renewed and outlining the renewal process. Nominees should be aware of their licence expiry date, as it is printed on the ‘Notice of Venue Operator’s Licence’ or ‘Notice of Approved Venue’.

If this letter is not received approximately three months before the licence is due to expire, please contact the VGCCC to obtain the necessary renewal forms.

It is the nominee’s responsibility to lodge the application to renew the venue operator’s licence and any other required information with the VGCCC before the licence is due to expire. This allows gaming to continue past the expiry date of the existing licence and until the application for a new licence is decided by the VGCCC.

If there are any changes to the information provided with an application before it is determined, the applicant must immediately inform the VGCCC.