It’s important to know the training requirements for your job role in the liquor and gaming industries.
Some courses are mandatory for your role, such as when you are serving, selling or supplying alcohol. These course(s) will help you get a 'competency card' that you are required to carry at work.
Read through these steps to get the training you need. You can also skip ahead to find courses based on your job role.
Steps to doing your training
Find out how to apply for, complete, and maintain your training. Read through the following steps and related information before applying for your course.
Find out what training you need based on your job role
Follow the links down the page to find out the training requirements for your role in the liquor and gaming Industry:
- Serving, selling, or supplying alcohol (including security staff, crowd controllers, promotion staff and RSA marshals). (Note: If you've already done an RSA interstate skip to NSW RSA Bridging course)
- Working with gaming machines (including hotel licensees, club directors, club secretaries, approved managers and Responsible Gaming Officers)
- Making same day alcohol deliveries (including same day delivery providers, agents, and drivers)
- Managing a premises (for approved managers and licensees)
- A secretary or a person managing a club (for club secretaries, club managers or club directors).
If you're unsure, see Training based on your job role.
Learn more about each course
Once you've identified what course(s) you need for your role (see previous step), you can learn more about each course. These course pages include information for both initial training and refresher courses:
- Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA)
- Responsible Supply of Alcohol (RSAT)
- Licensee and Advanced Licensee Training (LT and ALT)
- Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG)
- Advanced Responsible Conduct of Gambling (ARCG)
- Responsible Gambling Board Oversight (RGBO) training
Information for working in a club, including training requirements:
Find an Approved Training Provider
Now you know which course(s) you need for your role, use our search tool to find an Approved Training Provider.
Find an Approved Training Provider
Note that only Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) Approved Training Providers can conduct mandatory industry training. Beware of courses offered by training providers not approved for delivery by L&GNSW.
Before enrolling in each course, also check with the provider about delivery methods, times and other information.
Enrol and complete the course
Once you have found an Approved Training Provider training provider for your course (see previous step), you need to successfully complete the course.
Get and maintain your competency card
Once you've successfully completed the course:
- See Competency cards to find out how to get your competency card which is essential for work in many liquor and gaming roles.
- You’ll need to do refresher training every 5 years, depending on the earliest date you received a competency.
- Note that in NSW, all endorsements expire on the same date, calculated five years from the first endorsement gained. This means that if (for example) you gained an RCG competency two years after gaining an RSA competency, your RCG competency will still expire at the same time as your RSA competency.
- Ensure you keep your contact details up to date in relation to your competency card, and endorsements. This will ensure you receive reminders about refresher training, card expiry due dates, and remain compliant with industry regulations.
Training based on your job role
Identify what training you need to do based on your job role by reading through this list. Most courses will require you to renew your training after 5 years which is done via a refresher course (not re-sit the initial training).
This advice applies to you if you:
- sell, serve or supply alcohol
- work in a related liquor industry role, such as at licensed bars, restaurants, or music festivals
- work as a security staff member or a crowd controller monitoring customer behavior.
Required Training
- Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training
- If you've already done an RSA interstate within the last five years see NSW RSA bridging course
This advice applies to you if you are a:
- staff member with gaming machine duties
- staff member who pays out winnings
- staff member who patrols or serves in a gaming machine area
- Responsible Gambling Officer (RGO)
- club secretary or director
- hotel licensee or approved manager.
Why get training?
- Training is mandatory and related to your role (see following table).
- Training will give you practical skills to identify and proactively intervene when patrons display signs of gambling harm.
What course do I need to do?
| Course for people working with gaming machines | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG) | Mandatory for all staff working with gaming machines. |
| RCG Refresher Online Course | Mandatory every five years to refresh and maintain your qualification. |
| Advanced Responsible Conduct of Gambling (ARCG) | Mandatory for RGOs and senior roles. |
| Responsible Gambling Board Oversight (RGBO) | Condensed version of ARCG for Club Directors. |
This advice applies to you if you:
- make same day alcohol deliveries in NSW. This includes same day delivery providers, agents, and drivers.
Why get training?
- Training is mandatory.
- Same day delivery providers, agents, and drivers must be aware of and fulfill their legal obligations.
- This course encourages a more responsible supply of alcohol, helping to reduce community harm.
What course do I need to do?
- Responsible Supply of Alcohol Training (RSAT)
- You must also pass the L&GNSW online RSAT Assessment. You will receive information about this during your course.
This advice applies to you if you:
- are a licensee, club secretary, or approved manager. Training is mandatory in most of these job roles.
What course do I need to do?
- Licensee Training: Required for most licensees. See the table below to work out what training is required depending on the licence type.
- Advanced Licensee Training: For higher risk environments (eg night clubs, karaoke bars).
Note that you will need an appropriate RSA qualification before you do this course.
If you are an interstate worker with an appropriate RSA qualification planning to become a licensee, approved manager or club secretary in NSW, you do not need to do the NSW RSA bridging course. You can obtain your NSW RSA and Licensee endorsements on your competency card by doing Licensee training.
Training requirements by licence type
Are you applying to become a Licensee or an existing Licensee? Check under your licence authorisation to see what training you need.
Hotel/ General bar
Note that in addition to the following table, if the venue has gaming machines you will also needgaming training.
| Hotel/ General Bar - not authorised to trade regularly past midnight | RSA and Licensee Training |
Hotel/ General Bar - authorised to trade regularly past midnight *Note: ‘trading regularly past midnight’ means your premises is authorised to trade past midnight on more than 12 occasions in any 12-month period. | RSA, Licensee and Advanced Licensee Training |
Limited licence
| Single-function or Multi-function | RSA training You must keep your RSA up to date |
| Special event or trade fair - less than 2000 patrons | RSA training. You must keep your RSA up to date |
| Special event or trade fair - over 2000 patrons Your previous or current event had more than 2000 patrons per day and your licence does not allowing trading after midnight. | RSA and Licensee Training |
| Special event or trade fair - over 2000 patrons and after midnight trading Your previous or current event had more than 2000 patrons per day and your licence allows trading after midnight. | RSA, Licensee and Advanced Licensee Training |
On-premises licence
| Authorisation | Training required |
|---|---|
| If your business type is not listed under the on-premises licence in this table. | RSA training. You must keep your RSA up to date |
| Airports, food and beverage outlets, food courts and food halls. | RSA and Licensee Training |
| Bars, wine bars, karaoke venues, and adult relaxation facilities. | RSA, Licensee and Advanced Licensee Training |
| Restaurants or cafés not granted primary service authorisation. | RSA and Licensee Training |
| Restaurants or cafés granted primary service authorisation, and not authorised to trade regularly past midnight. *Note: ‘trading regularly past midnight’ means your premises is authorised to trade past midnight on more than 12 occasions in any 12-month period. | RSA and Licensee Training |
| Restaurants or cafés granted primary service authorisation, and authorised to trade regularly past midnight. *Note: ‘trading regularly past midnight’ means your premises is authorised to trade past midnight on more than 12 occasions in any 12-month period. | RSA, Licensee and Advanced Licensee Training |
| Vessels, catering services and functions centres, racing facilities, sporting facilities, tertiary institutions and public arena and events not authorised to trade regularly past midnight. | RSA and Licensee Training |
| Vessels, catering services and functions centres, racing facilities, sporting facilities, tertiary institutions and public arena and events authorised to trade regularly past midnight. | RSA, Licensee and Advanced Licensee Training |
| Public entertainment venues - Cinema | RSA training. You must keep your RSA up to date |
| Public entertainment venues - Theatre | RSA and Licensee Training |
| Public entertainment venue other than a cinema or theatre, such as nightclubs not authorised to trade regularly past midnight. *Note: ‘trading regularly past midnight’ means your premises is authorised to trade past midnight on more than 12 occasions in any 12-month period. | RSA and Licensee Training |
| Public entertainment venue other than a cinema or theatre, such as nightclubs authorised to trade regularly past midnight. *Note: ‘trading regularly past midnight’ means your premises is authorised to trade past midnight on more than 12 occasions in any 12-month period. | RSA, Licensee and Advanced Licensee Training |
Packaged liquor licence
| Authorisation | Training required |
|---|---|
| Packaged liquor licence | RSA and Licensee Training *Note: Some operators may be required to undertake further training than indicated. Such operators will be identified at the discretion of L&GNSW or the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA). |
Pop-up Bar, Event or Promotion
| Authorisation | Training required |
|---|---|
| Does not hold a drink on-premises authorisation. | RSA training. You must keep your RSA up to date |
| Holds a drink on-premises authorisation and, not authorised to trade regularly past midnight. *Note: ‘trading regularly past midnight’ means your premises is authorised to trade past midnight on more than 12 occasions in any 12-month period. | RSA and Licensee Training |
| Holds a drink on-premises authorisation and, authorised to trade regularly past midnight. *Note: ‘trading regularly past midnight’ means your premises is authorised to trade past midnight on more than 12 occasions in any 12-month period. | RSA, Licensee and Advanced Licensee Training |
Producer/Wholesaler licence
| Authorisation | Training required |
|---|---|
| Does not hold a drink on-premises authorisation. | RSA training. You must keep your RSA up to date |
| Holds a drink on-premises authorisation and, not authorised to trade regularly past midnight. *Note: ‘trading regularly past midnight’ means your premises is authorised to trade past midnight on more than 12 occasions in any 12-month period. | RSA and Licensee Training |
| Holds a drink on-premises authorisation and, authorised to trade regularly past midnight. *Note: ‘trading regularly past midnight’ means your premises is authorised to trade past midnight on more than 12 occasions in any 12-month period. | RSA, Licensee and Advanced Licensee Training |
Small bar
Check under your authorisation to see what training you need.
| Authorisation | Training required |
|---|---|
Not authorised to trade regularly past midnight *Note: ‘trading regularly past midnight’ means your premises is authorised to trade past midnight on more than 12 occasions in any 12-month period. | RSA and Licensee Training |
Authorised to trade regularly past midnight *Note: ‘trading regularly past midnight’ means your premises is authorised to trade past midnight on more than 12 occasions in any 12-month period. | RSA, Licensee and Advanced Licensee Training |
Contact Liquor & Gaming NSW
T: 1300 024 720 | Monday to Friday | 9am - 4pm
E: competency.card@liquorandgaming.nsw.gov.au