Guide to working in a NSW club

To sell or supply alcohol in NSW you must complete the RSA training course. It allows you to:

• supply or serve alcohol
• provide security or crowd control activities
• act as the Secretary of a registered club
• act as an RSA marshal - if they are required in the venue by law or licence conditions.

RCG training is mandatory if your work duties involve gaming machines and you:

• conduct gaming machine duties
• pay out winnings
• patrol or serve in the gaming machine area
• act as the Secretary of a registered club.

ARCG training is mandatory if you are a Responsible Gambling Officer (RGO) or hold a senior role within a hotel or club that operates gaming machines.

The ARCG course covers:

• anticipating and managing high-intensity situations using advanced interpersonal skills
• leading a culture of proactive gambling harm minimisation
• responsible conduct of gambling in practice.

If you are a Club Director overseeing a venue with gaming machines in NSW, RGBO training is an available option for you to meet the 1 July 2024 gaming reforms training requirements.

You must complete one of the following training requirements:

• The Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG) and Advanced Responsible Conduct of Gambling (ARCG) training courses or
• Completion of a Responsible Gambling Board Oversight (RGBO) training course approved by L&GNSW.

The RGBO course is a condensed version of the Advanced Responsible Conduct of Gambling (ARCG) course that provides you with a high-level understanding of your venue’s responsibility to minimise gambling harm.

The Licensee and Advanced Licensee training courses are for licensees, approved managers and club secretaries, as they have greater responsibilities and obligations under the NSW liquor laws. The training helps to better prepare senior managers for the challenges of operating a licensed business, while ensuring a vibrant and safe hospitality scene.

Training

Club Secretaries are required to:

1. complete the mandatory Club Manager's Association Australia Board Governance & Secretary Manager course within two years of their appointment, and
2. hold a current NSW competency card with:

• a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA)
• Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG) and Advanced Responsible Conduct of Gambling (ARCG) endorsements if the club operates gaming machines.

Change the Club Secretary

Clubs can apply to the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) to change the Club Secretary through the manage liquor licence form.

Before ILGA can approve the application, the new Club Secretary will also need to provide a current NSW National Police Check.

Club managers hold an important role in the governance and management of clubs. Managing a club's assets requires both experience and training.

A training framework for club managers ensures that office bearers are aware of their fiduciary and governance responsibilities, and can make commercial decisions that enhance the long term viability of their club. 

Clubs must make information regarding their compliance with the training requirements set out in the Registered Clubs Regulation 2025 available to their members.

Training

Club managers are required to:

1. complete the mandatory Club Manager's Association Australia Board Governance & Secretary Manager course within two years of their appointment, and
2. hold a current NSW competency card with:

• a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA)
• Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG) and Advanced Responsible Conduct of Gambling (ARCG) endorsements if the club operates gaming machines.

Exemptions

There may be exemptions to completing the mandatory courses if the Club Managers have:

• held an approved manager position in a NSW registered club for three out of the last five years, or
• been appointed as a Club Manager in an honorary capacity and is also a director of a club, or
• completed any of these qualifications in the last five years:
  • Club Managers' Association Australia and Southern Cross University Corporate Governance Program.
  • Club Managers' Association Australia and Southern Cross University Corporate Governance Zone Summits.
  • Governance Institute of Australia (Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators) Certificate in Governance for Not-for-Profits, or
  • The following individual units undertaken jointly: (i) Not-For-Profit Officers, Directors, and the Board, (ii) Meetings, Minutes and Resolutions, (iii) Governance Essentials, and (iv) The Accidental Company Secretary.

Club Directors are board members with an important role in the governance and management of clubs. To manage a club's assets effectively, they are required to have relevant experience and to undertake specific training.

A training framework for Club Directors ensures they are aware of their fiduciary and governance responsibilities and can make commercial decisions to enhance the long-term viability of their club. 

Clubs must make information regarding their compliance with the training requirements set out in the Registered Clubs Regulation 2025 available to their members.

Club Director training

The ClubsNSW Mandatory Director Training program provides the information directors need to fulfil corporate governance training compliance. Contact ClubsNSW for further information.

Registered Training Organisations with the following national units of competency on scope with the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) are also eligible to deliver Mandatory Director Training:

• BSBOPS406 Participate in organisational governance
• BSBFIN501 Manage budgets and financial plans.

Providers of Mandatory Director Training are authorised to deliver this training under the Registered Clubs Regulation 2025 and do not require approval from Liquor & Gaming NSW.

Exemptions, recognition and credit transfers

Any Club Director who has served on a club board for three consecutive years or more, up to and including 30th June 2013, may be exempt from completing Mandatory Director Training.

To be eligible for an exemption, evidence of the knowledge and skills required for good corporate governance must be provided and Club Directors will need to complete an online assessment to demonstrate competence. It is recommended as ‘best practice’ to complete the course as a refresher.

Club Directors are required to maintain records of core training modules they have completed as they may form part of the L&GNSW regular compliance audits of clubs. To assess and obtain Recognition of Current Industry Knowledge (RCIK), Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Credit Transfers (CT), contact ClubsNSW.

Responsible Gambling Board Oversight (RGBO) training

If you are a Club Director overseeing a venue with gaming machines in NSW, RGBO training is an available option for you to meet the 1 July 2024 gaming reforms training requirements.

You must complete one of the following training requirements:

• The Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG) and Advanced Responsible Conduct of Gambling (ARCG) training courses or
• The Responsible Gambling Board Oversight (RGBO) training course approved by L&GNSW.

The RGBO course is a condensed version of the ARCG course and provides you with a high-level understanding of your venue’s responsibility to minimise gambling harm.

Small clubs and large clubs

Small clubs, with less than $1 million gaming profit, need only two directors trained or deemed exempt from training.

Large clubs, with more than $1 million gaming profit, need to have all directors trained or deemed exempt from training.

Club Director previous ineligibility disclosure

Those standing for election or about to be appointed to be a Club Director must disclose any previous period of ineligibility because of disciplinary action brought against them by ILGA. This information needs to be disclosed:

• at least seven days before standing for election (clause 31A of the Registered Clubs Regulation 2025) to the club secretary, manager or returning officer, or
• within seven days of being appointed as Club Director if the club board did not request this information prior to appointment, or within seven days of the request being made by the club board.

Clubs need to notify their members of these disclosures by displaying a notice on the club premises and website:

• at least seven days before nominees stand for election, or
• within 21 days of appointment being made, along with reasons for the appointment.

From 1 January 2017, all club boards must not exceed nine members.

ClubsNSW provides Board Director Induction and Finance for Club Boards training for new board members. Contact ClubsNSW for more information.  

Board appointed Directors

Clubs can appoint Directors with high level skills or business experience to provide certainty for clubs that direct appointments can be made, subject to a club's constitution being amended.

Club boards may directly appoint up to two directors with the following requirements:

• the term is no longer than three years
• the appointee must be a full member of the club
• the board must notify members within 21 days.

Club Director previous ineligibility disclosure

Anyone standing for election or about to be appointed to be a Club Director must disclose any previous period of ineligibility because of disciplinary action brought against them by ILGA. This information needs to be disclosed:

• at least seven days before standing for election (clause 31A of the Registered Clubs Regulation 2025) to the club secretary, manager or returning officer, or
• within seven days of being appointed as Club Director if the club board did not request this information prior to appointment, or within seven days of the request being made by the club board.

Clubs need to then notify their members of these disclosures:

• at least seven days before nominees stand for election, or
• within 21 days of the appointment being made, along with reasons for the appointment.